Endless Adventure: Final Chance
by kta250298
Summary: Kendrick has had a long, hard life. Desensitized to the world, he find himself in the one place that could save him from himself. Can he face his inner demons, or will he waste his final chance? Warning; some Gore and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

As it turns out, impacting a stone wall at 200 KM an hour is incredibly painful. With a groan, I waited for my bones to pop back in place before gingerly rising to my feet. I looked out the hole I created, a crowd of people staring up at me in surprise. I could feel my anxiety rising with so many eyes focused on me, so I tried to think of a way to defuse the situation.

"К сожалению об стену!(Sorry about the wall!)" I called down to them. "Я могу иметь его в один миг!(I can have it fixed in a jiffy!)"

Nobody answered, some of their faces changing to be confused.

"Parlez-vous Français?(Do you speak French?)" I tried, still getting no reaction. "Gaeilge b'fhéidir?¿Español? 日本語?(Irish perhaps? Spanish? Japanese?)"

"Who are you!?" One of the guys roared. "Another weakling that dares to oppose my rank!?"

I looked him over, an interesting sight to behold. He was a large man, stacked like a brick shit-house wearing an open coat that had epaulettes and a dark vest under it, dark camo trousers and boots finishing it off. He had a metal jay, and his right hand was replaced by an axe.

"Ебля идеальный, они говорят на английском языке. Они вероятно американский тоже.(Fucking perfect, they speak English. They're probably American too.)" I groaned. "I am sorry about your wall, I can fix it if you want."

My accent was painfully thick as English was a new language of mine, a fact that caused me to wince. Axe-hand seemed to be taken aback by my answer, but then continued.

"In any case, I can't allow this affront to go unpunished." Axe-hand declared. "You are to be executed along with these criminals. Get him!"

He used some words I didn't understand, but I got the gist by his tone and the fact I was being charged. I waited for the group that split off to make it in the building completely, then jumped to the ground below. I drew a sledgehammer and threw it at Axe-hand, who knocked it out of the air. Undeterred, I pulled out a pipe and rushed one of the people who were dressed similar to Axe-hand. Bashing his head, I quickly forced my way to the other side of the crowd. What I found was another strange picture; some green-haired kid tied up to a cross, a pink-haired child laying bleeding on the ground, and another straw-hatted kid standing there looking amazed.

"Вы говорите на русском?(Do you speak Russian?)" I asked, hoping.

"That was so cool!" The straw-hat kid exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"Я думаю нет.(I guess not.)" I sighed, disappointed. "I am Кендрик(Kendrick), are you friend?"

"Sure, I'll be your friend!" The straw-hat replied, a massive grin on his face. "Do you want to join my crew?"

Too hurried to give a proper reply, I vaguely nodded and turned back to axe-hand. The men he had set after me realized I had escaped, and were rushing to catch up with the others. They all charged us, straw-hat trying to untie green-hair.

"Move." I ordered, raising an axe above my head.

Surprised, straw-hat jerked out of the way as I brought the blade down on green-hair's bonds, freeing his arm. Finishing the job, I turned back to the incoming force and drew a second axe, preparing to charge them when something zoomed past me.

"All those that oppose me must die!" Axe-hand exclaimed as his men headed down upon us.

To the surprise of all, green-hair suddenly appeared before the attackers, blocking their swords with three katana of his own.

"Don't move, or someone will get hurt." He threatened around the handle in his mouth, somehow speaking clearly.

The attackers were visibly frightened, tears running down their sweaty faces.

"I already told you I'd be a pirate with you…either way, after this incident with the Marines I'll be an outlaw too." Green-hair continued, talking to straw-hat. "But it's okay…I still have my own goals! I'm going to become the worlds greatest swordsman! I no longer care if my name is clean or not…bad-guy, good-guy, it no longer matters as long as my name is known world-wide! If you do something that end up in the way of my goal, I will have to cut your stomach open to say sorry!"

"Good! To be the world's number one swordsman!" Straw-hat replied. "Since you wanna be the pirate king's crew-member, if you couldn't accomplish something that small then I would be very embarrassed as well!"

"_~Heh~,_ Well said."

_"These kids are nuts."_ I thought.

"What are you standing around for!" Axe-hand demanded angrily. "Finish them off!"

"Guys, duck!" Straw-hat exclaimed, kicking his leg back as we hit the deck. "Gum-Gum…Leg-Sweeper!"

To my amazement, straw-hat's leg stretched out to hit all of the men attacking us (the Marines I assumed). They were sent flying into the air, crashing down with pained groans and yelps.

"Super!" Pink-hair exclaimed. "Very cool!"

"What are you?" Green-hair asked.

"I'm a rubber-man!" Straw-hat answered.

"Ru…rubber-man?" One of the Marines echoed, shocked.

"Captain, we can't kill them!" Another exclaimed.

"They're too strong!"

Nobody said anything, but Axe-hand appeared to be seething.

"This is an order." Axe-hand said, sounding surprisingly calm. "Whoever just said that, kill yourselves! I don't need useless soldiers! That's an order!"

To my surprise, they complied as raised guns to their own heads.

_"By the Sun's Light, what's wrong with these people!?"_ I exclaimed to myself._ "What kind of fucked place have I ended up now?"_

I then noticed that they were using flintlock pistols, along with cutlasses and katana. Before I could think too much about this development, straw-hat charged forward towards axe-hand.

"I am the Marines worst enemy!" He exclaimed, jumping through the air to punch axe-hand. "If you have guts then execute me!"

Axe-hand blocked the attack, leaving the both of them in a stand-off.

"Mr. Luffy, defeat these Marines!" Pink-hair exclaimed.

"People like you without status have no right to oppose me!" Axe-hand yelled. "I am Marine Captain Axe-Hand Morgan!"

"My name is Luffy." Straw-hat replied, completely strait-faced. "Nice to meet you."

"Go to hell!" Morgan roared, swinging at Luffy.

Luffy jumped into the air, avoiding the attack. It was a good move, as Morgans swipe somehow split a nearby fence in half. Luffy used the opening to drop-kick Morgan, knocking him to the ground. Morgan rolled to his hand and feet, sliding backwards from the momentum as Luffy charged him.

"You little bastard!" Morgan exclaimed, raising his axe into the air. "Go to hell!"

He brought it down as Luffy reached him, almost hitting the rubber-boy who spun out of the way.

"I'm not dead yet!" Luffy grinned, kicking Morgan in the head.

Morgan slid across the ground again, Luffy catching up and straddling him. I heard a yelp behind me, turning to see some blond kid holding pink-hair at gunpoint.

"Wait!" Blond-hair yelled at Luffy, who then hit Morgan. "You idiot! I told you to wait! If you want this kid to survive, then don't move! If anyone moves, I'll shoot!"

"I am thinking that is not good idea, Да(yes)?" I replied, pressing a knife against his neck. "I am thinking you put down gun."

Blond-hair gulped, too scared to move.

"Take finger off trigger." I ordered. "Do it slowly."

Blondie complied, giving me the confidence to take the gun from him. Looking toward Luffy, I saw Morgan standing up behind him. Before I could say anything green-hair intercepted Morgan's attack with one of his own, forcing the Marine to the ground

"Zoro!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Leave it to me, Captain!" Green-hair replied, still somehow speaking through the katana he was holding in his mouth.

There was a pause, then Blondie fainted and collapsed to the ground. The other Marines looked shocked as well.

"The Captain…lost?!" One of them exclaimed. "Captain Morgan has been defeated!"

"If you still want to arrest us, come and get us." Zoro said threateningly.

The Marines looked at each other for a moment, then erupted into cheer and celebration.

"Yes!"

"We're free!"

"We are out of Morgan's control!"

"Long live Marines!"

"What's going on?" Luffy asked. "They seem to be really happy Morgan was defeated."

"Everyone…hated Morgan!" Pink-hair deduced.

Zoro decided that now was a good time to collapse.

"Zoro?" "Mr. Zoro!"

* * *

"I'm full!" Zoro exclaimed jovially once we had gotten some food. "Haven't eaten for days, almost starved to death!"

I found myself sharing a table with these strangers, the owner of the place thankful to us for saving the town and her daughter, Rika. Luffy, Zoro, Coby (the pink-haired kid) and I had eaten our fill, mine a slow going as I had to eat around my mask. Now that things were calmer, I took a good look at my companions.

Coby was the shortest of them, followed by Luffy and Zoro, and was wearing a shirt and shorts along with circle-glasses. Luffy was fairly short as well, but much taller than Coby, coming to about 170 cm with a skinny frame. He was wearing a simple straw-hat with a red hand around it, a red vest and blue shorts finishing off his outfit along with sandals. He also had short, thick, black hair and a scar under his left eye. Zoro's green hair was roughly cut short, even shorter than Luffy's, and had a similar color to that of moss. Zoro was clearly more built than Luffy, taller too with his 8cm advantage, which you could tell past the three undone buttons on his white shirt. He had on black trousers and boots, his three swords held by his green haramaki.

I tried to think of why I was still here, then remembered that the Heart of Gold had been lost to the sea.

"Дерьмо!(shit!)" I exclaimed, rising to my feet suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Luffy asked.

"Мой межпространственные устройство было брошено в море!(My inter-dimensional device was thrown into the sea!)" I explained, forgetting they didn't speak Russian. "Я должен получить его обратно!(I have to get it back!)"

I ran out to the docks, diving into the water without a second thought. The result was instantaneous and terrible, a burning pain spreading throughout my body. I thrashed wildly, too surprised and in too much pain to think of swimming out of the water. Thankfully, Zoro soon came to my rescue and dragged me to shore.

"_~Aaugh!~ _What the hell!?" Zoro exclaimed, dropping me on the ground to sooth his burning arms in the water. "The water was boiling, what happened?"

I didn't answer for a moment, catching my breath and trying to calm down.

"Я не знаю, я только начал гореть в воде.(I don't know, I just started to burn in the water.)" I answered.

Luffy and Coby gave me blank looks, Zoro too distracted with blowing on his hands.

"Water, it…how you say?…it burns?" I tried again. "Да, water burns."

"The water burned you?" Coby repeated, sounding confused. "It's not that hot."

"It is what happened." I confirmed, slowly rising to my feet. "Great pain, hurt badly."

"Did you eat a Devil Fruit?" Zoro asked, rejoining us.

"What is…'Devil Fruit'?" I answered with a question. "I am not knowing what you say."

"A Devil Fruit is this gross tasting stuff that gives you powers." Luffy answered. "But once you eat some, you can't ever swim again."

"Нет(no), I have not eaten this 'Devil Fruit' as you say." I replied. "But I am in need to swim, can one of you swim?"

"I can." Zoro answered.

"Good, good. I will throw rock, will you swim to rock?" I asked. "You will be looking for ship and gold ball."

Zoro nodded, so I grabbed a rock and scaled a nearby building. Looking out for where the Heart of Gold landed, I marked the spot with my rock. As Zoro swam out, I climbed back down to the others. By this point a crowd had gathered around us, all if them celebrating their recent liberation. I slunk back into the shadows of the building, doing what I could to not be noticed by anyone.

"What are you doing mister?" A voice behind me asked, causing me to jump.

Turning to find Rika, I sighed in relief that it wasn't some citizen that wanted an autograph or something.

"I am hiding." I answered. "I do not do well with crowds."

"Is that why you wear a mask?" She asked.

"…Among other reasons, дa."

"Why else would you wear a mask?"

"To hide my face."

"Why?"

"I do not like it."

"Why?"

"Because it reminds me of bad things."

"Why?"

I felt a sudden surge of anger, why the fuck was this kid sitting here interrogating me? Then I became paranoid; what if someone had sent her to find me? What if she was an agent of some kind, disguised as a child and trying to worm her way into my good graces with this act of her's?

"Is it because you're really ugly? Is one eye bigger than the other? Do you have two noses?"

Or maybe she's just a curious kid.

"Да, it is because I am ugly." I answered. "But I am not having two noses, just scars. They scare people, so I wear mask."

"Wow, you must look really scary if it's worse than your mask." Rika remarked. "Your mask Is really creepy, especially since your always wearing that coat."

"How are you knowing I wear this all the time?" I asked. "I have been here only hour or so."

"Because it's all old and stuff." Rika answered, tugging on a patch of my sleeve to emphasize her point. "You must wear it a lot, or you wouldn't have to fix it so much."

"You are smart girl." I remarked, patting her head. "But you ask too many questions."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." Rika apologized, sounding sincere.

"It is fine, you are only child." I replied, waving off her concern. "It is good you ask questions, you learn, but I am running out of answers."

"Alright, I get it." Rika responded. "Thanks for not getting mad, other adults don't like it when I ask questions like that."

"I am not like other people."

Rika giggled a bit, then walked off into the crowd.

"Hey, I couldn't find anything." Zoro said, appearing from nowhere.

"Дерьмо, I was afraid of this." I replied, my head sinking. "Now I am trapped here."

"What do you mean?" Zoro asked, taking a seat next to me.

"I…I am not from here." I answered. "My ship was only way to get home."

"Can't you just get a new one?"

"Нет, It is special ship." I explained. "Only one, not replaceable."

Zoro didn't say anything, not that there was much to say. Luffy and Coby soon found us, followed by the Marines.

"I'm afraid I have to request that you leave." One of the Marines announced, instantly being booed by the townspeople. "We thank you for all of your help, but as Marines we cannot allow you stay here. Please leave this place immediately, we will be reporting what happened to Headquarters."

"Hey Marines!" One of the townspeople shouted. "What kind of bullshit are you saying!"

"Are you kidding me? Or have you all gone nuts!?"

"They are this town's saviors!"

"Well, let's go then." Luffy decided walking back towards the dock.

Luffy and Zoro walked off, looking back when they realized I wasn't following them.

"Aren't you coming?" Luffy asked.

"What are you meaning?" I asked back, confused.

"You're part of my crew, aren't you?"

I was taken aback for a moment, then remembered that I had in fact agreed to join him without thinking.

"Why are you wanting me for crew?" I questioned, suspicious. "You do not know me."

"You asked if I'd be your friend." Luffy answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Plus you seem really strong and cool."

I didn't know how to respond, as I hadn't been called "cool" before. I tried to think of an excuse to say no, but then realized I didn't have one. My ship was gone, I had no way of contacting anyone that could help me, I was in a strange place, and I had no idea if Zalgo's corruption had spread to here. It would be foolish to refuse, but officially joining anybody made me uneasy.

"I will sail with you, but not forever." I responded. "I am on mission, and must finish it."

"_~aww~_ Why can't you join my crew?" Luffy pouted. "It'll be fun! An adventure!"

"Mission is very…important? Да, Important, and must be finished."

"_~hmm~_ It must mean a lot to you…alright, I'll accept that for now."

We shook on it, Luffy finally noticing I had gloves on. If he had any thoughts about it, he kept them to himself.

*How long is that going to last?*

Ignoring Zane, I followed them to our small boat, Zoro and Luffy distracted momentarily by something to do with Coby. I took the chance to meditate, missing whatever they were talking about.

* * *

I was a few minutes later when I couldn't take it anymore, coming close to losing my mind.

"Luffy, I will cut off hand if you touch mask." I threatened, refusing to open my eyes in fear it'll cause me to snap. "Stop asking to take it off, let me meditate."

"But it's so cool!" Luffy whined. "How does it stay on? Can I try it?"

"Нет, you can not." I responded. "I am not taking off mask."

"Why?"

"Why are you caring!?" I snapped, losing my patients. "It is none of your concern if I wear mask!"

"He's right Luffy." Zoro agreed. "If he doesn't want to talk about it, that's his choice."

Luffy pouted again, but conceded. He went back to complaining about being hungry, which was only better than the questions in that it was more passive.

"It's funny that you have absolutely no navigation skills." Zoro remarked.

"Why? I've always been just wondering." Luffy replied. "You're just like me too, wandering and capturing hunted pirates for rewards."

"I don't remember saying that I live completely off of rewards!" Zoro rebutted. "I was searching for a man, that's why I left to the sea. But now I can't find my way home…I had not choice but to collect bounties just to get by."

"Oh, so you're lost?"

"Shut up! You're the one who's lost!" Zoro shouted angrily. "Geez…I've never heard of a pirate that can't navigate, how do you expect to get to the Grand Line like this? You need to hurry and find us a navigator."

*Listen to that, they're lost just like you. You should tell them about your own plight, make it that much worse when they abandon you.*

"Заткнись, я слышал достаточно от вас.(Shut up, I've heard enough from you.)" I replied.

"What did you say?" Luffy asked.

"I was talking to myself." I answered.

"Oh…are you crazy?"

"…Да, you can say that."

"What does 'Da' mean?" Zoro asked. "Is it 'yes'?"

"Да, да is yes." I answered. "Нет means no."

"Why don't you just say yes or no?" Luffy asked. "Why do you use made up words?"

"They are not 'made up', it is Russian." I replied, scowling behind my mask. "I am Russian, so I speak it."

"What's 'Russian'?" Luffy asked. "Is it a club? Can you eat it?"

"Can you…? Нет! Russia is not food, it is Родина, birth-land, and you will not be making light of it." I responded. "Russians are proud people, we are survivors."

"I've never heard of Russia, which sea is it in?" Zoro asked.

"Дa(huh)? What are you meaning?" I replied, confused.

"Is it in the North Blue, South Blue, what?" Zoro "explained" only confusing me more.

"I am not knowing what you mean, Russia is in the Atlantic and Pacific." I answered. "I have never heard of this 'North Blue'."

"What are you talking about?" Zoro replied. "Are you stupid, you don't know about the four oceans that make up the world? The North, South, East and West Blue?"

I was about to respond when a thought struck me. I had been lucky enough to end up in universes that were similar to my own, but that didn't mean they were all so alike. I slumped a bit, realizing I had finally ended up in a place that was completely alien to me.

"Ken, is something wrong?" Luffy asked.

"My name is Кендрик, and I am realizing how far from home I am." I answered.

"Kendrik?"

"Да, Кендрик."

"Can't I just call you Ken instead?"

"Нет."

"Why?"

"It is not my name."

"But it's easier to say!" Luffy wailed.

"I am not caring, it is not my name."

"But Ken-!"

"Anyways!" Zoro interrupted. "What were you saying about being far from home?"

"It is…complicated? Да, complicated." I answered. "All I can be saying is I can not go home, and home was very different from this place."

Luffy and Zoro said nothing for a moment, which I appreciated.

"Why can't you go home?" Luffy eventually asked.

"Home is very far, I am needing special ship to return." I answered. "Ship has sunk, so I am trapped here."

"So you're lost like us." Luffy deduced.

"Да, I suppose I am." I answered.

We couldn't help but smile, a simple connection bringing us together.

"…Although, I am knowing of how to get home." I continued. "My problem is more physical than mental."

"Shut up!"

* * *

"This is…ridiculous, да?" I noted to Zoro, keeping an eye out for Luffy.

"Among other things." Zoro agreed, keeping an eye on the trio rowing our boat.

After Luffy spotted a passing bird, he tried to catch and eat it. We quickly learned that it was far bigger than it first appeared, and flew off with the rubber-boy trapped in his beak. As we rowed after him, some pirates that were adrift in the sea jumped aboard and tried to take our ship. Zoro and I "convinced" them otherwise, and they "offered" to row for us as we looked out for Luffy.

"So, why were the three of you floating in the ocean like that?" Zoro asked.

"Good question, you finally asked!" One of the pirates exclaimed. "It was that girl! She was a bad girl, but real cute too."

"The three of us had just finished robbing a ship, and on the way back we found her." A different pirate told. "We thought she needed help, she even offered us treasure!"

"But when we went to check her out, she stole our map and ship!" The third pirate finished. "Before we could do anything, a freak storm came from nowhere and destroyed the boat! We're sure that she planned it somehow!"

"She can predict the weather…this girl must be something special." Zoro remarked. "I wonder if she'd join us…?"

"If I find her, I'm gonna kill her!" One of the pirates announced.

"First, we gotta get our loot back." Another pirate said.

"Yeah…if we go back empty-handed, Buggy will…" The third pirate agreed.

"Who's Buggy?" Zoro asked.

"He's our pirate leader, haven't you ever heard of 'Buggy the Clown'?" A pirate answered. "He's a dangerous man who ate a Devil Fruit."

"A Devil Fruit?" Zoro echoed. "What does it do?"

"_~hehaha~_ Can't tell you, it's a secret." A pirate replied.

Zoro raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything else.

* * *

"We made it!" The pirates announced as we pulled up to the island's dock.

"Where is everyone?" Zoro asked. "This place looks deserted."

I stopped paying attention then, noticing an…'off' feeling permeating through the air. Scanning the buildings, I noticed a shadow moving into an alley.

"Zoro, I need to be going." I told the swordsman. "I will return later."

"Huh? Alright." Zoro replied as I walked off after the shadow.

Keeping my distance, I followed the figure through alleys and the ruins of destroyed buildings. After deciding that he was alone, rushed head to cut him off. Pulling the familiar figure into an side-road, I slammed him against the wall.

"Si taht yna yaw ot teerg a dneirf?(Is that any way to greet a friend?)" Chaz asked.

"On, tub uoy era on dneirf fo enim.(No, but you are no friend of mine.)" I responded.

Chaz and I had met previously, as I was often in need of his services. He was an information dealer, willing to sell any knowledge he had for a price. He was also a greedy slimeball, who would sell out his own mother for enough coin. I didn't like working with him, but he was a necessary evil as information was extremely valuable to someone in my line of work. I was lucky enough that Zalgo's experimentation had elongated my tongue, allowing for a passable attempt at speaking Daemon. It was simple to write, all you had to was reverse the order of letters. Speaking it was something else, as it took…interesting anatomy to pronounce things sideways.

"Taht struh, stuc em peed ti seod." He remarked, feigning hurt. "Retfa lla ew evah neeb hguorht, uoy dna em?"

Chaz was a Daemon, one of many, and for whatever reason he had taken a particular interest in me. Usually this would be something to be worried about, but I often had bigger problems that didn't leave time to look a gift horse in the mouth. Letting him go, I took a step back to look him over. Chaz often kept to the stereotypical look that most Daemons were stuck with; red skin, horns and all that, but right now he looked like some generic punk kid you'd find smoking across the street from a school.

"Tahw si htiw eht wen kool?" I asked.

"Od uoy ekil ti?" He asked in return, doing a little twirl. "I ma gniraperp rof a pirt ot eht Namuh dlrow, si siht esiugsid pu ot ffuns?"

"Ti si enif, tub tahw era uoy ginod ereh?" I answered. "Evah uoy draeh ginhtyna wen morf Zalgo?"

"On, ginhton uoy od ton ydaerla wonk." Chaz answered. "I ma lyno ereh ot rehtag noitamrofni no emos dik deman Luffy."

"Luffy? Tahw od uoy tnaw morf mih?"

"Ouy wonk mih?"

"I ma…gnilias htiw mih, yliraropmet."

"Ym, ym, woh tneinevnoc. I epoh taht uoy dluow eb gnilliw ot erahs gnihtyna uoy wonk."

"Revetahw uoy deen ot wonk, uoy nac ksa mih flesruoy. Eh si ton yrev thgirb, eh si ylekil ot llet uoy gnihtyreve uoy tnaw."

"Ho…tib fo a loof neht?"

"Ekil uoy dluow ton eveileb."

I turned to walk away, annoyed to see Chaz following me.

"Si ereht gnihtemos uoy deen?" I asked, not stopping.

"Uoy evah ot nruter ot Luffy ta emos tniop, os I lliw wollof uoy ot mih." Chaz answered. "Si taht a melborp?"

I shrugged and kept walking, quickening my pace slightly. Working my way back to the ship, I was disheartened to find that Zoro had gone.

*They're already trying to get rid of you.*

Scowling slightly, I turned back to the town to search for any sign of the swordsman or Straw-Hat.

* * *

After a few minutes, I heard the sounds of celebration in the distance and decided to investigate. Discovering the source to be a large bar of sorts, I entered into a courtyard area. The group of pirates that were partying stopped to stare at me, and I could practically hear the record scratch.

"Hello." I said. "I am looking for rubber child, is wearing straw hat."

"Ken!" A voice called. "You found me! Where's Zoro?"

"I am not knowing, we separated." I answered, ignoring the flinching pirates as I walked over to the rubber-boy. "Why are you in cage?"

Luffy was trapped behind metal bars, forced to sit in the cramped space. Brushing past the crowd, I made my way to Straw-Hat to try to free him.

"Hold it!" A new voice ordered, prompting me to pause. "Who the hell do you think you are, barging in here like that!"

*A man's man sustained by strength of will.*

I looked toward the voice, surprised at myself for not noticing him earlier. I saw a fairly tall man, dressed up like some kind of clown pirate complete with a big red nose. He leaned forward in a fancy chair-throne thing, seemingly angry with me for disturbing their festivities.

"I do not mean to…interrupt?" I relied, looking back to Luffy for confirmation. "Да, interrupt. I am here for Straw-Hat, I am needing his ship."

"Ken, aren't you here to save me?" Luffy whined.

"Да, for your ship." I answered. "Stop calling me Ken."

"But it's more fun to say!"

"I am still not caring."

"Meanie."

"Enough!" The clown pirate interrupted. "If you're working for that thief, then I'll have to kill you as well."

"Нет, I am not working for him." I explained. "But I can't let you kill him."

"Nami, who is this guy?" Clown-pirate asked an orange hair girl. "Why didn't you warn us about him?!"

"That guy? There's nothing to worry about." Nami answered, waving off Clown-Pirates concern. "Ken and I go way back, he's just not up to date on our new employment with you Captain Buggy."

"Is this true?" Clown-pirate, Buggy, asked me.

"I have never seen this girl before." I answered. "She has not been sailing with us."

Nami momentarily looked terrified, then tried to play it off like it was nothing.

"_~hahaha~_ That's Ken for you!" She nervously laughed, walking up and patting me on the back. "Quite the joker, always full of laughs."

*I don't think she could be more wrong, it's almost impressive.*

Growing annoyed, I reached down to pick her up. Squeaking in surprise, she slinked away slightly as I held her so we were face-to-face.

"I do not know you." I growled. "It is not good to test me."

Nami nodded furiously in response, scrambling away from me when I dropped her. Turning back to Luffy, I noticed that we was glaring at me slightly.

"What?" I asked, walking toward him.

"You should be nicer to her, she's our new navigator." He answered.

"Your navigator; She is no concern of mine." I responded, bending down to grab the top of the cage. "You deal with her."

Pressing my foot to the bottom, I started to force the cage apart when a knife sunk into the back of my head. Usually this wouldn't be a problem other than blinding pain, but it was a very good throw. I slumped over and slid off the cage, all control of my limbs lost. Silence and darkness engulfed me, the feeling of laying on the hard ground being my only connection to the physical world.

*Damn, that was a good shot. It'll be a shame when we kill whoever did that, you could learn a few things.*

_"And you can fuck off."_ I responded to Zane.

*No need to be testy, it was a simple observation.*

_"Well then you can observe me ignoring you."_

*_~hehehihihi~ _How has that been work in the last few years? Oh, and before I forget, _~she wants the dick!~_*

_"What the fu…? What are you even talking about?"_

*That girl, Navi or whatever the fuck her name was, she wants the D.*

_"…Stop. Just…stop."_

*What's with that attitude? You should be excited.*

_"I can't believe I'm entertaining this notion, but why do you think she 'wants the D'?"_

*It was obvious, the way she was feeling you up. That, and I could smell it.*

_"…Smell it?"_

*Yep.*

_"You could…smell it?"_

*Uh-huh.*

_"…Smell what exactly?"_

*She was lusting after you like crazy, I could smell it in the air.*

_"…You're saying you smelt her…lust?"_

*It started right after you ousted her to Buggsworth the Clown, and got stronger when you picked her up.*

_"…I…I don't even…you're very lonely, aren't you?"_

*What the fuck are you talking about? It's not like you're any better off.*

_"By the Sun's Light, you're a moron. That wasn't lust, that was fear. She was afraid of us."_

*…Shit, that does make more sense. I get those two confused a bunch.*

I briefly despaired at the futility of suicide.

*Not that it matters, we should still fuck her.*

_"We are not going to have sex with her."_

*Says you.*

_"Says me?! Says me!? Says shut the fuck up I do!"_

*Calm down, no need to be testy.*

"Вспыльчивый! Ты тот, который планирует изнасилование чужой!(Testy! You're the one that's planning to rape some stranger!)"

**Кто сказал что-нибудь об изнасиловании? Теперь вы кладете слова в мой рот.(Who said anything about rape? Now you're putting words in my mouth.)**

"Kendrick! Guys, Kendrick's alive!"

"Вы сделали! Вы! Всякий раз, когда вы открываете рот чертовски вы идете на изнасилование или убийство или некоторые другие попало дерьмо!(You did! You! Whenever you open your damn mouth you go on about rape or murder or some other horrible shit!)"

**Как насчет когда я говорю о прохладно дерьмо, как ружья?(What about when I talk about cool shit, like shotguns?)**

"Солнца свет закрыл ебешь вверх!(By the Sun's Light, shut the fuck up!)"

It was at the moment I realized I had been yelling, and that I wasn't laying on the ground anymore. I felt around for a moment before I was engulfed in a hug, my instant reaction of throwing the offender off of me thwarted by my assailants unexpected strength. I struggled for a moment, the person who hugged me quickly letting go. I was about to say something, but hesitated when I noticed my vision had yet to return.

"I can't believe it, it's a miracle." A familiar voice said, amazed.

"I told you, it'll take more than that to kill this tosser." Chaz's distinctive voice responded. "Well, I think I've got everything I need, I'll be going now."

"Chaz, tiaw." I called out, hoping he was still there. "Uoy nac kaeps Hsilgne?"

"Fo esruoc I nac, I dluow ton eb yrev doog ta ym boj esiwrehto" He responded. "Yhw, od uoy deen emos pleh?"

"Sey, I ma gniog ot eb ereh a elihw dna deen ot nrael." I answered. "Tub yhw evah uoy ton nekops Naissur nehw ew kaeps?

"Ereht sah neeb on deen, uoy derugif tuo a yaw taht dekrow rof uoy." Chaz said, waiving off the bullshit I had to go through to learn Daemon. "Tub I od evah gnihtemos taht dluoc pleh, rof a ecirp fo esruoc."

"Tahw?"

"I evah emoc otni noissessop fo a Lebab Hsif, dna ma gnilliw ot lles ti ot you."

The Babel Fish is an extraordinary creature, frequently used to both prove and disprove the existence of God. It feeds on brain wave energy, frequencies and then excreting telepathically a matrix formed from the conscious frequencies and nerve signals picked up from the speech centers of the brain. What this means in practical terms is that if you let it burrow in your ear, you can understand virtually any spoken language. Many years before I started my journey they were designated a Weapon of Mass Destruction and it became almost impossible for regular people to get one, even Daemons had trouble

"I ma ton eruhs ti dluow pleh, I od ton kniht ti dluoc evivrus gnivil edisni ym daeh." I noted, my vision slowly returning.

"Uoy dluohs ton etamitserednu ti." Chaz replied, smirking. "Uoy nac evah ti rof owt dna a flah noillim Ynnum."

I nearly choked, my heart seizing at the thought of anyone paying that. Munny is a form of currency created to ease inter-universal travel, fashioned from a similar material to MacGuffinite, that come in the form of small, glass-like beads. They were iridescent and found in varying sizes, which decided their worth. Munny has the ability to become virtually any form of currency, automatically converting to the equivalent amount. As of then the conversion from Munny to Pубли(Rubles) was 1 Руб for every .75 Munny and I only had a motley collection of 5000 Руб.

"Два с половиной миллиона Munny!(Two and a half million Munny!)" I exclaimed, defaulting to Russian out of reflex. "Это невозможно иметь такие деньги, я не часть буржуазии!(It's impossible to have that kind of money, I'm not part of the bourgeoisie!)"

"Yrros, erar smeti eriuqer a hgih ecirp." Chaz shrugged, leaning closer to me. "Fo ecruoc, I ma gnilliw ot tpecca…evitanretla sdohtem fo tnemyap."

I scowled and pushed him out of the way, walking to the door of the abandoned house I found myself in. Luffy and the others had already left, discomfort being the natural reaction to hearing Daemon spoken aloud. I could hear them talking about something outside, my understanding broken at best. Hesitating with my hand on the knob, I turned my head slightly towards Chaz.

"Woh hcum dluow eseht 'evitanretla' stnemyap revoc?" I asked, hating myself a little more.

"Rof na ruoh eht tsoc lliw pord ot eno noillim." He answered, smirking.

"Lla I evah si ruof-dnasuoht selbur." I replied, hoping to come away from this without losing all my money.

"Neht ti lliw eb owt sruoh dna eerht-dnasuoht selbur." Chaz said, walking closer to drag his fingers across my chest and back. "Reven tel ti eb dias taht I ma ton suoreneg."

I shuddered away from his touch, fighting the urge to gag. I wanted nothing more than to leave, but having a Babel Fish would be a great help to properly learning English.

*That, and getting us laid.*

With a grimace, I considered my limited options. It honestly didn't seem like such a bad idea, but some instinct of mine screamed that this was a bad idea.

*It's your natural instinct to be a punk bitch, for the love of God ignore it.*

Sighing in resignation, I unlocked the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Luffy, Zoro and Nami were standing outside the door, waiting for me I assumed.

"Ken, are you ready to go?" Luffy asked, picking himself off of the ground.

"My name is Кендрик, and I am going to need some time alone." I responded, not fully stepping away from the door. "I will meet you at ship in a few hours."

"A few hours?" Nami echoed with a suspecting glare. "What are you up too?"

"What's the hold up?" Chaz urged sultrily. "I'm dying of anticipation."

Nami blushed while Zoro snickered to himself, Luffy looking between the two of them confusedly.

"What's so funny?" He questioned. "What is Ken doing?"

"Something I am wanting no part of." I answered. "I will meet you at ship."

Closing the door, I waited until they walked away to turn to Chaz. He had already disrobed, laying on the bed I had woken up on with his excitement plainly visible. With my dignity taking a back seat, I pulled off my cloak and gloves. As I was reaching for my boots, a roll of tape bounced off my head into my hands.

"Wrap some around your mask, I don't want to take any chances of Zane ruining the mood." Chaz explained.

Growling slightly, I ripped a strip away and went to work.

* * *

Walking out of the building, I rubbed my ear where the worm snuck into my head. The walk of shame back to the ship allowed me some time to angst, the various buildings that obviously been recently destroyed barely registering in my mind. Barely, but still noticed.

*The fuck happened here?*

I had come to a stop at the strange sight of a small white dog sitting by the ruins of what might have been a building at some point. The single bag of dog food suggested that it was a pet shop of some kind.

_"Probably the work of those pirates from before."_ I thought. _"Speaking of which, I wonder what happened to them?"_

*Hopefully something agonizing, we still need to pay them back for killing us.*

Walking past the dog, who had started growling and barking as I went, I continued on my way.

* * *

I quickly found myself at the port, finding the ship again made simple by the fact there were only two. A crowed of angry-looking villagers were being held back by an old man in armor, who was screaming something about a misunderstanding.

"Thank you for not leaving me." I appreciated, climbing aboard.

"Of course we didn't leave, you're our friend." Luffy grinned. "Now, let's set sail!"

"What are you yelling about?" Nami demanded, walking out of the second ship's cabin. "Oh, it's you."

Noticing the look Luffy was giving me, I sighed and turned to face the orange-haired girl.

"I am sorry for how I was." I apologized. "I am not good with people, and was being jerk."

It took her a moment to decipher what I had said, but once she did she scoffed and turned away, waving it off.

"Fine, apology accepted." She returned, walking to unhook her ship. "Just remember how to properly treat a lady next time."

Deciding that her response meant I was off the hook, I turned back to the now grinning Luffy.

"There, are you being happy now?" I asked, walking past him to sit against the mast. "Let us be going."

Luckily, Luffy decided that he was done bothering me during meditation. I still had to put up with hearing his other antics, but they were much more manageable. Nami and I built a shaky truce on our mutual distaste for Luffy's foolishness, and had resolved to not bother each other. As it turned out, Nami was an accomplished navigator. It was her that stole the three pirates ship, a revelation that reminded me of where I had left them when I was incapacitated.

"What happen to clown?" I asked, startling Luffy.

"Buggy? I sent him flying!" Luffy giggled jovially. "It's what he gets for hurting my friends."

"Is that what happened to you?" I asked Zoro.

I had noticed his injury, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it so I never asked.

"Yeah, and what happened to you." Zoro replied

"Me?"

"That's right!" Nami interrupted, sounding like she just realized something. "We got sidetracked earlier, but now I have to know. How did you survive Buggy throwing a knife through your head?!"

"_~sigh~_ It was going to come out some time." I mumbled. "I have...special talent, can't die."

"...What?" Nami blankly replied after a moment.

"Really? That's the coolest!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.

"Hет, is not coolest." I rebutted.

"You don't like being immortal?" Zoro asked, disbelieving. "What kind of sense does that make?"

I sighed internally, thoughts of my sister filling my head. I could hardly remember the last time I had seen her, it had been so long.

*I wonder if she still thinks of me?*

"It doesn't matter if he likes it or not, it's not true!" Nami declared. "It's impossible to not die!"

"Hет, it is _improbable_ to not die." I corrected. "Nothing is impossible."

"That's ridiculous as well!"

"It is truth."

"Says you! Lots of things are impossible, and living forever is one of them!"

"...Да, you are right." I conceded.

"Of course I am!...I am?" Nami said, surprised.

"Да, it is impossible." I pretended to agree. "Just like being made of rubber."

"What are you talking about?" Luffy asked, confused. "I'm made of rubber, remember?"

Luffy stretched out his cheek for emphasis, a crack ringing through the air as it snapped back.

"При свете(By the light)! How is this being!" I exclaimed mockingly. "But if you are being made of rubber, maybe I am being бессмертный...er...immortal!"

"So you did eat a devil fruit?" Zoro asked.

"Да, why not." I answered vaguely. "So, who else was hurt?"

"Who else?"

"Да, Luffy said 'friends', so there must have been someone else."

"Not that I can remember, just us."

"Oh."

I paused to think of the implications of this. The fact that Luffy felt I was his friend enough to seek revenge...I was unsure how it made me feel. Deciding that I was looking to much into it, I distanced myself from the others so I could meditate. Accepting my answer for now, Nami decided to drop the topic of my resurrection.

It didn't take long for them to find a new island, Luffy excited to explore it even though Nami repeatedly told him it was deserted.

* * *

"Let us be exploring island." I announced, interrupting their arguing. "Could help mission."

"See, even Ken agrees!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Fine, but you're not allowed to complain when we don't find anything." Nami conceded, prompting Luffy to cheer in victory. "What's this 'mission' of yours?"

"Looking for certain…people, and things." I answered. "They are…how you say, corruption?"

"Corruption?" Zoro echoed, locking the word in my memory.

"Да, corruption." I continued. "Is job to purge."

"And how do tell if someone is 'corrupted' or not?" Nami asked, taking a worried step back.

"Is obvious, they act strange, unnatural, and are marked." I answered. "Black veins spread over body."

Nami's eyes widened, and she gasped. A sure sign she knew something.

"What is problem?" I demanded, standing up. "Sounding familiar?"

"Y-yes. There was a person i-on my island that had tattoos like you described." Nami answered, looking unsure of herself. "She seemed like everything about her was…forced, like she was constantly pretending to be someone else."

"That is sign of corruption, they can only pretend to be human." I said, grabbing Nami's shoulders. "Can you take me to her? Must be dealt with quickly!"

"Yeah, I needed to head home soon anyway." Nami replied, backing away from me. "It'll take some time to get there though."

"Черт(Damn)! Luffy, can we be hurrying?" I requested. "Can't be letting corrupted escape!"

"But I wanted to explore the island." Luffy whined, bringing my blood to a boil.

This was my life's mission, my sole purpose, and he wanted to put it on hold for 'exploring'. I bit my tongue, suppressing the urge to take control of the ship myself.

*I bet we'd make a great pirate captain, the rape and pillage part sounds especially fun*

"Please, it is important to Меня! I mean to me." I pleaded, trying to control myself.

Luffy thought about it for a minute, looking forlornly at the island.

"I'll let you call me Ken." I offered.

"He calls you that anyway." Zoro pointed out.

"Да, but now I am less likely to be throwing him in sea when he does." I explained.

Luffy paled a bit, but then grinned like I hadn't just threatened his life.

"Alright! let's set sail!" Luffy ordered, pointing towards the bow.

"…We already are." Nami pointed out, deflating Luffy's exuberance.

I held back a chuckle, retaking my place at the mast.

* * *

Unfortunately, our supplies wouldn't last the trip to Nami's island. This meant that we had to make a stop to resupply at a small village. There was also the problem of needing a new ship for the Grand Line, but I wasn't concerned about that. The island was a sort of plateau, the only entrance being a beach that let to a steep hill. Anchoring, we disembarked onto the sand.

"Been a long time since we stood on firm ground." Zoro remarked, stretching out. "By the way, I just noticed a moment ago, what are those guys doing there?"

As Zoro pointed out we were being watched, three kids jumped up and ran away screaming.

"Hey! Don't run away!" An older kid shouted after them.

We stared at each other, allowing me to get a good look at the strange boy. He was a skinny lad, thick bushy hair held down by a hairnet of some sort. He was wearing brown overalls with a sash around his waist along with a messenger bag. A long, thin nose stuck out of his face and his skin appeared to be tanned a bit.

"I am the great pirate fleet leader, Usopp, who is in charge of the security of this village!" The long-nosed boy boasted. "I am also known as-hey, where are you going!"

I had started walking to the village, uninterested in whatever lies the kid had to tell.

*Oh, so when someone else lies you ignore them, but when I do it you get all pissy about it?*

_"That's because when you lie, someone has died."_ I responded.

*Not always, only mostly.*

Snorting in amusement, my hand reflexively snapped out to grab the pellet Usopp had fired at me. I stopped walking, crumbling the ammo so it fell to the ground as I turned my head to glare at the long-nosed idiot. Usopp stood there for a moment, too surprised to react before trying to hide his slingshot behind his back.

"Let me be telling you boy, I am not amused." I growled, loud enough for him to hear. "What you did could mean war for your island."

"W-What?" Usopp squeaked.

"I am Кендрик, representative of the great nation of Russia!" I declared loudly, standing straight as opposed to my usual slouch. "Our armies are mighty! Our people strong! Our power incredible! Where we go, victory follows!"

Usopp's knees began to tremble, and even Luffy and the others began to look slightly intimidated.

"Your actions have decided the fate of an entire Sea! Our forces will descend upon this place like a plague, wiping it off the earth!" I continued, quickly scaling a cliff to reach Usopp. "And there is something else you should be knowing."

"What?" Usopp asked, falling to his knees with tears in his eyes.

"I am a better liar than you!" I announced with a smirk. (Not that he could see it)

Hopping backwards off the cliff, I turned to the others.

"Let us be going." I said, walking off while Usopp slowly figured out he had been duped.

"Hey…Hey! Stop right there, you liar!" He yelled, chasing after us.

* * *

"So, you know my dad?" Usopp asked Luffy, who was munching down on a piece of mutton.

"Ya, 'e w's wit' Sh'nks." Luffy answered, swallowing his food. "I met him when they stopped on my island."

After Usopp had caught up with us, he and Luffy began talking. Quickly getting along, he invited us to eat in the village while they explained why we where here. Eventually our talking led to Luffy revealing that he had met Usopp's father, Yassop.

"What was he like?" Usopp asked.

"He was lots of fun, and talked about you a lot." Luffy answered. "Especially when he was drunk."

"My dad left when I was young, but it's good to hear he's doing well." Usopp told us. "I want to grow up and become a brave warrior of the seas like him."

"I am being impressed." I remarked. "Most people do not like отец(father) being gone."

"What's a…'at-yets'?" Nami asked.

"It means…what Yassop is to Usopp." I offered, drawing a blank on the equivalent word. "I am not sure how to explain. No experience."

"Do you mean family?" Luffy asked.

"No, I mean yes, but more…focused." I tried to explained. "I…I am not sure of translation, but you need отец and мама(mother) to make child."

"Mama? Wait, are you saying dad?" Usopp pieced together.

"Yes, is close enough." I agreed. "As was saying, most people not happy dad is gone."

"I'll admit, I was upset when I learned he had left me and my mom." Usopp said. "But she told me stories of all the things he did, and how happy he made her, and I knew from then on he was a great man."

"That is good, good to be proud." I said, pulling my mask away slightly to take a bite of food.

"You know, it would be easier to eat if you take off the mask." Usopp noted.

"Trust me, not wanting me to take off mask." I replied.

"We don't mind if you're ugly." Luffy remarked. "You can take it off whenever you want."

"Let me try again. _I_ am not wanting to take off mask." I replied with finality.

Luffy merely shrugged, returning to his meal. The three others gave me odd looks, but didn't say anything.

"So, you're looking for companions and a big ship?" Usopp asked. "Sounds like an adventure!"

"Yep!" Luffy agreed excitedly.

"There's only one place where you can find the stuff you want in this village." Usopp said. "Although it's not a very big ship, but it's not small either."

"Where?" Nami asked.

"There's a mansion not far from the village that belongs to a wealthy family." Usopp explained. "The ship belongs to the mansions owner, a sick and bedridden young girl."

*Fucking bourgeoisie.*

"I think it happened about a year ago that the girls parents died of sickness, leaving her a large inheritance, a mansion, and over ten servants." Usopp continued leaning back with a sad look on his face. "Even if you are rich, it doesn't exempt you from sorrow."

*We should have servants, why don't we have servants?*

_"Why would we have servants?"_

*So they could serve us, why else? Some loser we can boss around and have do our bidding, maybe fuck and torture them if we get bored.*

_"Even if you could convince someone, which you couldn't, they wouldn't last long enough to be useful. You'd just eat them or rape them to death or something awful."_

*That sounds like a challenge.*

_"A challenge would imply a chance of succeeding."_

*Well fuck you to, challenge accepted. Next chance I get, I'm getting a servant. No, even better, a slave!*

A sense of regret filled me, my foolishness damning some unfortunate soul to more of Zane's games.

_"Shit like this is why we don't talk."_

"Kendrick!" Someone yelled at me.

_"The distraction it causes doesn't help."_ I noted, jerking up to full alert. "What is it?"

"Pay attention when I'm talking to you." Nami said, rapping her knuckles against my mask. "Since you're done eating, take this money and get some supplies."

I flinched back, a growl escaping my throat. Nami raised an eyebrow, apparently amused by something.

"What are you, a dog?" Nami grinned mockingly. "Heel, boy."

Standing up, I slammed my hands against the table. About to angrily defend myself, I hesitated when I noticed the look of worry and fear Nami briefly adopted. Holding back another growl, I dropped my head with a sigh.

"Give me money." I said, my had extended toward the orange-haired girl.

Nami reached into…something and pulled out a wad of cash.

"Just get some basic things; food, water, that kind of stuff." She ordered, regaining her confidence. "If you're a good boy, I'll get you a treat later."

"Я дам вам чертовски лечить нахальным сука.(I'll give you a fucking treat you uppity bitch.)" I grumbled under my breath, stomping my way out of the inn or whatever the fuck it was.

* * *

It didn't take long for me to gather what we needed, dropping it off at the ships before returning to the restaurant. I was disheartened to find that the others had already left, Zane taking the chance to whisper doubts and thoughts of betrayal into my mind. Searching around for them, I heard a strange noise and looked up in time to see Luffy, Nami and Zoro flying through the air.

"Я оставить их в покое на несколько минут…(I leave them alone for a few minutes…)" I sighed, running towards them.

* * *

I came upon a large mansion atop a hill, a tall gate surrounding the property. Scaling the fence, I found the others talking to a sickly looking girl in a white dress. Usopp was there as well, along with three even younger children, probably about Rika's age, and he seemed nervous when he noticed me.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Usopp asked.

"I saw these three in sky." I answered. "I followed them."

"Did you get the supplies?" Nami asked.

"Да, here is change." I answered, handing over a few stray bills and coins.

"I don't believe we've met, what is your name?" The sickly girl asked.

Assuming that she was someone of importance to be living in such a place, I straitened myself out to appear presentable.

"Hello, my name is Кендрик." I replied, bowing. "Is pleasure to be meeting you Miss…?"

"Kaya." A different voice interrupted. "I must admit, I'm impressed that someone like you knows how to act respectable."

Walking towards us was a tall man in a suit, round glasses resting on his face. His hair was slicked back, the whole thing coming together to create the impression of a butler of some kind.

"What are you meaning, 'someone like me'?" I growled.

"A pirate of course." The butler replied.

"Oh." I said, calming down. "But must be noted, I am not pirate."

"Then why are you sailing with pirates?" The butler asked. "If you are not one yourself?"

"They asked first." I shrugged.

"Ken!" Luffy exclaimed, sounding about as close as he could get to scandalized.

"Is true." I replied. "Was random, I can not plan crashing into wall."

"Be that as it may, I must ask you to leave." The butler said. "You can't just barge into the mansion like this!"

"Listen Clahadore, these people are..." Kaya started to say.

"You don't have to explain! I'll ask you about it later." The Butler, Clahadore, interrupted. "Please get out, or is there something you need to say?"

"I want a ship..." Luffy answered, grinning like an idiot.

"No way." Clahadore said, leaving no room for argument.

Luffy slumped over, a cloud of depression permeating the air around him. It was then that Clahadore noticed Usopp.

"You, you're Usopp." Clahadore said. "I've heard some rumors about you, the villagers like to talk about you."

"Oh...oh, thank you." Usopp replied, sliding into a boisterous voice. "You may call me Captain Usopp, everyone calls me that."

"The guards said you where lurking outside the gates." Clahadore said. "What do you want here."

"Errr...err...I heard there was a huge mole in the mansion!" Usopp answered, sweating nervously. "So I wanted to see it for myself!"

"Hahahaha! I see that you can certainly lie well." Clahadore laughed, Usopp giving and indignant "What!?" In response. "I have heard about your father as well. You're the son of a filthy pirate. I'm not surprised you turned out this way, but you had better stay away from Miss Kaya!"

"…Did you say filthy!?" Usopp growled, looking furious.

"You and Miss Kaya belong to totally separate worlds." Clahadore continued. "Is it money you're looking for? Name your price."

"That's enough Clahadore!" Kaya screamed, becoming angry as well. "Apologize to Usopp at once!"

"There is no need for me to apologize to this uncivilized person." Clahadore argued, finally pissing me off. "I'm just telling the truth. I feel sorry for you, Usopp. You hate your father, don't you? Because he's a dumb treasure hunter that deserted his family and village!"

"CLAHADORE!" I roared. Kaya screamed as well, but it was easily swallowed by my fury. "HOW DARE YOU!"

Everyone flinched back, scared by my sudden rage. I stomped up to the butler, about to grab him when I thought better and turned away.

"Вы чертовски... ебля ебут задницу! Как вы смеете называть Усопп нецивилизованных! Вы-вы, чертовски освещенные damed сын ебля...Вот, действуя все высокие и чертовски могучий, когда вы... Вы передаете суждение на кого-то, вы даже не...(You fucking…fucking…fuck-ass! How dare you call Usopp uncivilized! You-you, fucking lighted be damned son of a fucking…Here you are, acting all high and fucking mighty, when you…you're passing judgement on someone you don't even…)" I raved, pacing around while angrily waiving my arms. "Вы... вы... fuck! Луффи, скрежетать зубами!(You…you're…fuck! Luffy, grit your teeth!)"

Yelling, I twisted and punched Luffy into a nearby tree. He gave a yelp of surprise, the wood splintering where I hit him.

"What was that for!" He demanded, now angry at me.

"Потому что вы можете взять его!(Because you can take it!)" I yelled back, turning away. "Я должен оставить до I...fuck... просто выяснить это дерьмо.(I have to leave before I…fuck…just figure this shit out.)"

Jumping the fence amidst gasp of surprise, I stormed off towards the ships.

* * *

I didn't make it very far before I had to stop and start punching trees, my anger reaching a literal boiling point as steam started escaping me. Taking off my coat so nothing became burnt, I started laying into the forest.

"ЧЕРТОВ СУКИН СЫН ЖОПА ПИЗДА ХУЙ ЛИЦО!(FUCKING SON OF A BITCH ASS CUNT DICK FACE!)" I roared, timbering a tree with brute force.

Picking it up, I threw the tree into the sea. The simple joy destruction brought me was enough to make sure I didn't lose control, allowing me to calm down and finally reach the ships. Making sure I had my coat on properly, I began to meditate.

* * *

"Stand up or I'll run you through!" Someone ordered.

Refusing to open my eyes, I hoped that if I ignored whoever it was he would go away. It probably gave me away that I jumped a bit in surprise, but I was banking on the fact they didn't notice it.

"Hey, don't you ignore me!"

Or they did. Opening my eyes, I looked around to see that I was surrounded by pirates. Sighing in annoyance, I stood up while reaching into my coat.

"Let us be done with this quickly." I said, pulling out a long pipe.

There were a lot of them, and even more on the beach. A massive ship had pulled up next to us while I was meditating, and I was hoping nothing would come of it. Smashing a pirate over the head, I quickly turned and did the same to a different one. The ship erupted into a brawl as they all charged me, the fact that I was simply better than them the only thing keeping me from being overpowered.

As their numbers dwindled they slowly became more and more desperate, to the point that they started aiming their cannons at me. Noticing this, I jumped ship to protect them from danger. This didn't discourage the cannoneers, as they opened fire once the rest of their crew had gotten out-of-the-way. Weaving and dodging, I was able to pick one up and throw it back. The unlucky man didn't even have time to scream before his head was crushed. As I began to return fire, they realized that trying to blow me up was only giving me more ammo. With that in mind, they tried to Zerg rush me.

Growling in annoyance, I threw the pipe at a pirate's head. Running forward, I jumped to catch it out of its bounce-back and slam it into the ground. The shockwave disorienting the nearby pirates, I took the chance to finish a few more of them. Slowly but surly, they all fell to my might.

**Ну суки, довести его! Вы все должны научиться уважать трубы!(Come on bitches, bring it! You all need to learn to respect the pipe!)**

Grinning like a madman, I smashed and bashed and cracked my way through the ranks.

**Это все, что вы получили? Основные суки вы получаете рект!(Is this all you got? You basic bitches are getting rekt!)**

"Kendrick!" A voice called.

I turned back to find Usopp and Nami staring at me, amazed.

**Так вы придурки наконец показал вверх? Слишком плохо для вас, партии почти над.(So you nerds finally showed up? Too bad for you that the party's almost over.) Stay out of way, got this.**

Nami and Usopp just nodded dumbly as I cleaned house, finishing off the last of the pirates with a kick to the head.

"Ken, that's no fair!" Luffy whined, showing up along with Zoro (who was arguing with Nami about some thing to do with oily slopes.). "You didn't leave any for us!"

"Should have gotten here sooner." I shrugged, calming down now that the fighting was done.

"You were all defeated by some brat?" A weird-looking guy said, sounding like he didn't believe it.

The weirdo had on a plain shirt and dark pants and boots, along with a long coat with a large collar. He was also wearing a dark fedora and heart-shaped sunglasses, his light hair falling to his chin. For whatever reason, he had one of those Ancient Egyptian beard things as well.

"Don't call me brat, am older that you." I said, a tick developing on my face.

"Listen, we don't have time to play around." Weirdo said to the pirates. "If the enemy is too strong, we'll become stronger."

Pulling out a ring on a string, he started swinging it back and forth.

"Look at this ring! When I say 'one…two…Jango' you'll become stronger." The weirdo said. "All of your wounds will be healed, and you will become more powerful."

*Fuck this hypnotist bullshit.*

_"There's something we can agree on."_

"One! Two! Jan-Gahh!" Weirdo started, only to be interrupted by my fist meeting his face. He rolled across the ground, and was about to stand when I stomped him back down.

"Don't get up." I commanded, cracking a few ribs to be sure.

Looking back to the others, it was interesting to see the different range of reactions you could garner by doing something as simple as defeating an entire pirate crew. Both Usopp and Nami were stuck somewhere between amazed and terrified, a usual, while Zoro seemed mildly impressed at best. Luffy's reaction was a new one; unbridled excitement and joy.

"You're so cool!" The rubber-boy exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"…Thank you." I replied, at a loss for words. Better ones at least.

"So, now what?" Zoro asked.

"Are we ready to go?" I asked in turn. "Ships are ready."

"Not yet, we still have to deal with Kuro!" Usopp said.

"…Who's Kuro?" I asked, causing him to fall over.

*What the fuck was that! How the fuck…he just…the fuck?!*

_"Let's just ignore it for now."_

*That defies all logic, and not in a way I'm okay with! You can't go from standing to crumpled in an instant like that, not unless…*

_"Unless what?"_

*Don't worry about it, they're coming.*

Put off by his sudden change in attitude, my paranoia started gnawing at me again. He was definitely hiding something.

* * *

As we headed into town, the situation was explained to me. Apparently Clahadore was actually the pirate captain Kuro, who has been pretending to be Kaya's butler so he could steal her fortune. As they told me this, I got progressively angrier and angrier until I could barely contain myself. It was a grand stroke of luck that we found Kuro when we did, or I would have lost it. Lucky for everyone but Kuro that is.

"KURO!" I roared when we saw him heading back to the slope.

I charged him, surprised when he dodged my punch.

"It seems you've figured me out as well. How unfortunate." Kuro said, daring to sound uninterested. "More variables that need to be dealt with."

"Bring it!" I bellowed, rushing him again.

This time, I made sure to pay attention when he avoided my attack. As he dodged, I spun around the opposite direction to backhand him into the ground. With a grunt of pain, he flipped onto his feet while throwing the briefcase he had been carrying into the air. It opened up, allowing two strange weapons to fall out onto Kuro's hands. They looked like thick, furry gloves that had katana blades coming out of each finger from the tip.

*Fucking Freddy Kruger up in this.*

And with that, the fight proper began. I was far stronger than Kuro, but he was faster. We slowly wore each other down, my energy fading as his injures collected. Every once in a while I would notice Zoro fighting two weird cat-looking people as Luffy held off Kuro's crew, who had returned stronger than before.

*We should have crushed that hypnotists head. That, or you could stop being a little bitch and use your claws.*

Ignoring Zane, I focused on tracking Kuro. To any normal person, he probably would have seemed invisible. Lucky for me I was no longer normal. We danced around each other for a bit as I lured Kuro into a pattern, then I switched it up. Speeding up, I started bouncing around randomly and caught Kuro off guard with my sudden change in strategy. Grinning, I smashed my fist into the pirates face before he could recover and broke his glasses. Likely his nose as well. Grabbing his head, I smashed him against the ground until he was unconscious. Giving with a final groan of pain, Kuro was defeated.

I turned to look at the others, noticing that Kaya and the kids had joined them at some point. The two furrys and the crew had been dealt with, Luffy and Zoro looking no worse for wear. Looking myself over, I sighed when I realized I looked like a mess. Cuts and gashes where all over my body, which was stained with my blood. My coat was torn to shreds, my chest and arms barely covered by the remains. Raising my hand reveled some fingers were missing. Everyone, except Luffy and Zoro of course, was caught looking somewhere between concerned and disgusted. The heavy-hitters of the crew seemed impressed.

"I am returning to ships, figure this out." I said, quickly walking off admits various protests.

"Wait! You need to…" Nami trailed off as I disappeared into the forest.

* * *

Swearing to myself, I sewed the remains of my coat together into a bag of sorts. One of the effects of Mallet Space on my coat was that things still kept their weight, it just kept adding up and up to whatever point you could handle. Considering all the junk I had collected over the years, my coat had become immensely heavy. This wasn't a problem as the weight was spread over my person, but now that it was a bag some withdrawals had to be made. As I dumped what I didn't need into the ocean, I looked over Zane's knife.

It was double-edged, and one half of the grip was heavier than the other. This along with its slightly curved design made it a literal pain to use, but he always found a way. I had no idea how to work the thing, a strange occurrence considering we where technically the same person.

*I'm simply better than you.*

Growling a bit, I closed up the bag after removing my emergency coat. It was a deep red instead of black, with a collar and slightly larger hood. I took it from an entity called the Raincoat Killer when I helped clear out a Zalgo infection from a town called Greenvale.

*Ah, good times. Zach and York were quite the pair. A lot like us actually*

_"Zach wasn't a crazed serial killer rapist"_

*Nobody's perfect.*

Finishing up by replacing my gloves, I took stock. I had my clothes, my necklace, a bag of holding, a large pipe, an axe, a pair of cleavers, and Zane's balisong along with a total amount of 1,500 Munny. Curious, I checked how many Beri that was worth. It was 40 Beri to a Munny, so I had 60,000 Beri.

*Shit, hope that's a lot.*

_"Knowing our luck, it's probably like 60 Руб"_

Sitting against the mast, I started meditating.

* * *

"Ken! Guess what!" Luffy yelled, making me jump. "We got a ship!"

Opening my eyes, saw Luffy dragging Kuro and his crew back to their ship. They had been piled on a rolling wood platform, which was quickly tossed onto the boat.

"Good, we must be going." I replied, climbing aboard Kuro's ship. I stole the hypnotists hat and raised their anchor, pushing them away from shore when I climbed back down.

"I see you're all better." Nami noted.

Zoro and Kaya had shown up with her, the young mistress looking concerned about something.

"Да."

"Shouldn't you see a doctor?" Kaya asked. "It seemed like Clahadore really hurt you."

"Is alright, not used to holding back." I replied. "Out of practice."

"Holding back?" Zoro echoed. "Why would you do that?"

"If I kill, not certain I could stop." I answered. "Best if not find out."

The air suddenly became awkward, nobody sure how to respond to that. Luffy, as oblivious as ever, seemed to be doing something completely different.

"I see a ship!" Luffy announced. "Is that ours?"

"I believe so." Kaya answered, grateful for the change of topic. "Meri will know more about it, so please save any questions for him."

The ship was…interesting to say the least. Fairly large, though still much smaller than Kuro's, the figurehead appeared to be a sheep or lamb of sorts. There was a large mast with a crow's nest, a smaller triangle-shales one behind it, and no obvious wheel anywhere. A suited man in a hat ran out of the cabin and started to pull up the sails. The ship slowed to a stop, coming to rest at the beach.

The suited man, Meri I assumed, joined us. It was then that I realized he wasn't wearing a hat, but he was in fact a lamb man. A lamb-man. It was one of the stranger things I've seen. So as not to be rude, I turned away from him to get a better look at the ship. It was intricately designed, a cannon coming out of the front and either side. Closer inspection revealed that the cabin had two levels with numerous windows. Meri started to explain everything, informing us that the ship was a Caravel and utilized a staysail mechanism…whatever that meant. All I could gather is that the controls were inside for whatever reason.

My ears twitched; something was making a racket in the distance. Turning to the hill, I scanned the distance for the source of the disturbance. Way off, something large looked to be getting bigger…no…it was getting closer. A massive brown ball was quickly rolling towards us on a collision course with the ship. As it got closer, I could hear screaming accompanying it. Screaming that sounded an awful lot like…

"Usopp, you idiot." I grumbled, walking to intercept him.

"Waaah!" He screamed, catching everyone's attention. "Stop me, please!"

With a sigh, I grabbed the ball and halted its destructive path. Usopp shot out from the top, tumbling across the ground before crashing into the ship. It was then that I noticed the ball was intact an overstuffed backpack.

"Thanks…" He groaned.

"Is no problem." I replied.

* * *

"So you are going to the sea, Usopp?" Kaya asked.

Lucy's crew and I had pack ourselves onto the ship, the "Going Merry", and we're now watching Usopp say goodby to Kaya.

"Yeah, I have to go before I change my mind." He answered. "Please don't stop me."

"I won't, I've figured you might do this." Kaya said. "It really makes me sad though."

"Next time I come to this village, I'll tell you adventure stories more unbelievable than lies." Usopp boasted with a grin.

"Thank you, I look forward to them." Kaya replied, smiling.

"Well, safe voyage guys!" Usopp shouted to us. "Hope to see you again somewhere!"

"Why?" Luffy asked, confused.

"Huh? 'Why?'? Sheesh, how cold-hearted." Usopp responded. "We're both going to be pirates now, so we might meet each other on the high seas."

"What are you talking about? Hurry up and get on board!" Zoro said.

"What?" Usopp replied, confused.

"You're already our friend, aren't you?" Luffy asked.

Usopp appeared to be trapped so where between shocked and ecstatic, unsure of what to do.

"I…I'm the captain right!?" He yelled, regaining control of himself as he ran towards us.

"No way! I'm the captain!" Luffy shouted back.

Usopp quickly forgot about his bag amidst his excitement. Felling generous, I climbed down and grabbed it for him. As I walked backed to the ship, I stopped to talk to Kaya and Meri.

"Thank you." I said, quickly returning to the ship.

And with that, we were off. Everyone waived goodby to Kaya and Meri, and Zoro brought out one of the barrels we were given. Cracking it open, the smell of alcohol started filling the air.

"Are you not too young for drink?" I asked.

"Of course not, how old do you think we are?" Nami replied.

"I am having no idea." I answered, shrugging. "Am not good with guessing. Are young is all I know."

"I'm 17." Luffy said.

"Me too." Usopp continued.

"19." Zoro.

"You shouldn't ask a lady her age." Nami said, her voice teasing.

"You are girl, not lady." I replied, receiving a glair.

"Jerk!" Nami huffed. "If you must know, I'm 18."

*Damn, so close.*

_"You can fuck right off"_

"How old are you?" Luffy asked.

There was a pause as they waited for me to answer. I moved to say something, but then realized I had no idea.

"Hmm, am thinking." I said estimating with my fingers. "Давайте посмотрим..., это было так давно, так как кто-то просил, и я догадался около семидесяти затем... так что теперь я бы...(let's see…it's been so long since someone has asked, and I guessed about seventy then…so now I would be…)eighty? Да, eighty. About."

They all looked surprised, even Luffy.

"Wow, you're old!" He exclaimed.

"But you don't sound old." Usopp remarked.

"And you can move pretty fast." Zoro continued.

"Get it together guys, he's clearly lying." Nami scolded. "There no way you're that old!"

"You do not trust me." I noted.

"It's hard to trust someone who always lies!" Nami responded.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Usopp looking sheepish.

"Fine, do not believe." I said, standing up to walk away. "Am not caring."

Sitting against the mast, I meditated to the sounds of their celebration.

*Man, you're a fucking buzzkill.*

_"Fuck you."_


	3. Chapter 3

"Alright!" Luffy exclaimed, startling me. "Our pirate flag is done!"

Looking over to the rubber-boy, I saw him holding up a large flag with an…interesting design. It was clearly supposed to be a skull and crossbones, with his hat atop it. The actual quality, however, was that of a child. Who was six. Who couldn't see.

It was bad is what I'm saying.

*Wow, what a piece of shit.*

_"We can _literally_ only do worse."_

*That's not the point. The point is he can't draw for crap."

"Calling him artistically challenged would be an understatement." Usopp remarked, looking shocked and amazed.

"No…this could be some kind of abstract art…" Nami suggested.

"A pirate's flag should be a symbol of death, but this…" Zoro said. "I suppose it's terrifying in a sense…"

The trio turned to me, expecting some input.

"…Да, is bad." I put forth.

"So, what do you guys think?" Luffy asked, apparently not hearing us.

"You're beyond terrible!" Usopp scolded "Leave the drawing to me!"

Usopp went to work, coming up with a well designed flag. Unfortunately, it was of his own pirate mark.

"You completely changed the symbol!" Zoro and Luffy complained, giving Usopp one upside his head.

Usopp tried again, this time drawing Luffy's mark With great quality.

"Wow, that's perfect!" Nami complimented.

"It doesn't even remotely look like the other one." Zoro pointed out.

"Да, is good." I agreed.

"That's great! Draw one on our sail later too!" Luffy requested.

"Yeah, well I've honed my artistic talents gyrating on the walls of people's homes for years." Usopp bragged. "I'm quite the master artist you know!"

*The kid certainly likes to hear himself talk.*

_"You aren't any better"_

* * *

The sound of a cannon jostled me aware, and I shot to my feet ready to attack. I had returned to meditating as Usopp and Nami went to work on the sail.

"Who is shooting!" I exclaimed, searching for opponents.

"I am." Luffy answered, standing next to a cannon.

"Oh…why?" I asked, walking over.

"We have these cannons, we should use them." Luffy explained, pointing out to sea. "I'm trying to hit that rock."

Lo and behold, there was a small piece of land jutting out from the waves.

"Move over, let me show you how it's done." Usopp said, taking control of the cannon. "You just have to…adjust…"

The cannon fired, and the rock exploded into numerous pieces.

"Holy crap, you hit it on your first shot!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Good job." I complemented long-nose, who seemed surprised himself.

"I hit it?" He mumbled, quickly recovering. "I mean, of course I hit it! I'm a master of all things aiming! Fell free to bow down before me and address me as captain!"

*I'm starting to like this brat.*

"I've decided!" Luffy announced. "You can be our sniper!"

Everyone started walking to the kitchen, Usopp and Luffy arguing about being captain. I stayed at the mast, grateful for the moment of peace.

"Are you retarded!" Someone yelled from inside a minute or two later. "And here I thought you were going to say something smart for the first time in your life! Do you have any idea what sailing on the seas is like!"

*Oh that Luffy boy is sayin' stupid shit again.*

_"Quiet Grandma Swamp, get back to washing McGriddles."_

"YOU DAMN PIRATES!" Someone screamed, causing me to jump and swear. "I'M GONNA SLAUGHTER ALL OF YOU!"

I rolled out-of-the-way of my attackers blade, coming to a stop behind him. Dashing backwards, I smashed the loud-mouth against the mast and reached back to wrap my arms under his shoulders. Jumping into the air, I spun and crushed him between the deck and myself.

"Ken, are you okay?" Luffy asked, bursting out of the cabin.

"Да, am fine." I answered. "Fool is weak."

"I almost had you…" My assailant groaned.

Getting a good look at him, he was wearing a hoodie jacket and loose pants. "Sea" was tattooed on his left cheek, in Japanese, and he had on sunglasses that were strapped around The back of his head.

_"I thought they didn't speak Japanese here?"_

*Man, nothing about this place is consistent. Just roll with it.*

"Johnny, is that you?" Zoro asked, stepping onto the deck.

"Z-Zoro!? Is that really you, bro?!" My attacker exclaimed, jumping to his feet as if nothing had happened.

*See, no consistency.*

"Where's Yosaku, isn't he usually with you?" Zoro continued, looking around.

"H-He's…Yosaku is…" Johnny started.

* * *

"Sick!" Zoro exclaimed after Johnny had pulled Yosaku aboard.

Yosaku looked like shit. He was unconscious and bleeding a bit from his mouth, bloody bandages wrapped around his stomach. He had on a long, hooded coat and shorts. There was a plated headband wrapped around his shaved scalp.

"Yeah…he was fine a few days ago, but all of a sudden he turned pale and kept passing out. I don't know what's wrong with him…his teeth have fallen out, and his old wounds have reopened." Johnny told us, despair in his voice as he kneeled next to his friend. "I just don't know what to do anymore. I was trying to at least let him get some rest on top of that rock, but all of a sudden, this ship fired a cannon ball at us!"

Luffy and Usopp were struck shocked, their jaws dropping.

"We're truly, truly sorry." They apologized, bowing.

"It's fine, what's done is done…" Johnny replied, allowing Usopp and Luffy to sigh in relief. "If all problems could be solved with a simple apology, there wouldn't be a need for any policemen."

Luffy and Usopp looked like they were about to cry, fear etched on their faces.

It was hilarious.

Holding back my snickers, I returned my attention to Johnny.

"'Yosaku and Johnny'…we were infamous enough to have pirates shaking in their boots at the mere mention of our names from time to time." Johnny continued, crying now. "We've lived and worked together as bounty hunters for years! Is this…how it's all going to end!?"

Zoro was stiff, unsure what to do. I was about to say something when Nami spoke up.

"God, how thick can you be?!" She screamed.

Not…exactly what I was expecting.

"What did you just say?" Zoro shouted back.

"Lady, I won't let you go free if you dare make a mockery of my partners suffering." Johnny threatened, grabbing his sword.

"Luffy! Usopp! There's are some limes in the kitchen! Go and squeeze the juice out and bring it here, ASAP!" Nami ordered, Usopp and Luffy running off as quickly as they could.

"He is having scurvy?" I asked. "How can tell?"

"I recognize the symptoms." Nami answered. "If we're not too late, he should recover fine in a few days."

"A-are you telling me the truth, sis!?" Johnny asked, excited.

"Please don't call me sis. In the past it was practically a death sentence for sailors. It's caused by a lack of nutrients found in fruits and vegetables." Nami explained. "It was quite common back then because ships simply didn't have the technology to effectively store fresh fruits and vegetables for long periods of time."

"Wooow! You're like a doctor!" Luffy said, sounding amazed.

"Yeah, I always know that girl was special. Usopp's eyes are never wrong." Usopp agreed, somehow finding a way to brag for what Nami did.

"If you're going to be sailing, you should at least know this much!" Nami screamed angrily. "God, your stupidity is going to be the death of you all!"

"Aright!" Yosaku exclaimed, jumping into the air and startling me. "I'm charged up on nutrients and ready for action!"

"Hahah! My partners all better now!" Johnny celebrated.

"Like hell he could recover that fast!" Nami argued, turning her anger to the bounty hunting duo.

"Sorry for the late introductions." Johnny said, standing next to Yosaku while ignoring Nami. "The name's Johnny!"

"And I'm Yosaku!" Yosaku introduced.

"Zoro used to bounty hunt with us in the past." Johnny told us.

"Nice to meet you all!" Yosaku greeted. "I don't know how to thank you, I thought I bit the dust for sure."

"Well, color me surprised!" Johnny exclaimed. "I never would have expected the infamous pirate hunter Zoro to have become a pirate himself!"

"Buhee!" Was the noise Yosaku suddenly made, collapsing to the ground. "Blargh!

"Yosaku!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Just shut up and get some rest already!" Zoro ordered.

* * *

After we had gotten Yosaku taken care of, we found ourselves hanging around the mast.

"Let this be a lesson to the rest of you…" Nami said.

"These are the kinds of dangers we'll have to face on long voyages." Zoro noted.

"He would have died if they hadn't come across us." Usopp agreed. "We need someone to think about our diet to see to it that we stay healthy. What we need is a 'chef of the sea'."

"If you think about it, that's one of the most important talents to have when you're out on the seas." Nami said.

*I can think of a few others.*

_"How many of them actually have something to do with sailing?"_

*Cannoning, swordplay, and navigation.*

_"How many of _those_ where a euphemism?"_

*…swordplay.*

_"Gay."_

*Oh fuck you, are we twelve now?*

_"No I'm just bored."_

*Why are you attacking me? What have I ever done to you?*

_"Are…are you being serious right now? You and Zalgo are the source of literally _everything_ wrong with my life."_

*Who's life haven't we ruined. What makes you so special?*

_"I AM you!"_

*That only make this whole situation all the more deliciously ironic. Delicious like a baby you raise as your own, then consume amongst the ruins of the life they had made for themselves. Or cookies. Cookies are good too.*

_"Cookies are good."_

*I enjoy chocolate chip.*

"What do you think, Ken?"

"I am also enjoying chocolate chips." I unconsciously responded in English.

"…What?"

Realizing what I had done, I turned my attention to Usopp.

"Sorry, what is question?" I asked.

"Have you been paying attention?" Nami demanded, leaning close to glair at me more effectively.

"Нет." I answered.

"I am surrounded by idiots." Nami groaned, face-palming. "We were going to stop by a restaurant to get some food and find a chef, and figured we should ask you what you thought about it. Considering you're in a hurry and all."

Just as my gut response was about leave my lips, I thought about it more. They aren't like me. They have pressing needs that need to be taken care of, and having a chef would help greatly. But if Zalgo got away…but then again, I couldn't be certain it was actually Zalgo.

"Да, is fine with me." I relented. "Just…do not take long."

"Aright, let's find the Baratie!" Luffy exclaimed.

*What the hell is a 'Baratie'?*

_"Fuck if I know, but if I had to guess…"_

* * *

_"I wouldn't have guessed it to be a giant fish."_

A fish-shaped restaurant would be more accurate, but besides the point. While I understood the rational behind such a decision, to actually do it…it was quite a sight to say the least. There were three tiers to the building, set up like a pyramid. A small dock extended from what I assumed was the entrance, the words 'Restaurant' and 'Baratie' painted on the side. A massive rudder both controlled the ship and cemented the 'fish-look', two masts and four sails providing propulsion.

As everyone gawked at the Baratie, I noticed a marine ship pulling up next to us.

"Everyone, trouble." I announced, turning their attention to the threat.

"The Marines!" Someone exclaimed.

"They're not going to attack us, are they?" Usopp asked, scared.

"Hey! We ain't pirates over here!" Johnny shouted, hiding behind the ship's rail.

"Someone's coming out." Yosaku noticed, hiding beside Johnny.

Stepping onto the deck of the ship was a man in a striped suit. He had long, pink hair and his right palm was wrapped in metal. Screws appeared to have been driven through his knuckles.

*Dude, that hand looks fucking _metal_. We should do that.*

_"That seems extraordinarily pointless. Imagine how much of a pain, literal and otherwise, it must be to have screws in your hand."_

*Fair enough.*

"I'm the Lieutenant of the Marine headquarters, my name is 'Iron Fist' Fullbody." Pink-hair announced, sounding all the part of a douche. "Who's your captain, name yourself."

"I'm Luffy." Straw-hat answered. "I just finished making my pirate flag the day before yesterday!"

"And I'm Usopp!" Long-nose interjected.

"Wait a minute, I think I remember seeing you two before. You frequent the government offices on some business." Fullbody said, shifting his attention to Johnny and Yosaku. "If I remember correctly, you're…small time bounty hunters. 'Yosaku and Johnny' I think your names were? So you finally gotten captured by some pirates, have you?"

"Hey Yosaku, I think this bro's sticking it to us." Johnny remarked.

"Well, we can't just let some guy walking around calling us 'small time'." Yosaku agreed. "This ain't gonna net us a single Beri, but I think we ought to teach this kid to keep his mouth shut."

"You cocky little yuppie!" Johnny and Yosaku screamed, drawing their swords.

They were swiftly defeated.

"A-almost had him." Yosaku muttered, both him and Johnny bloody and bruised on the deck of the ship.

"You are shit." I told them, the winks they gave me likely the best glares they could muster in their condition. "I am being impressed you are not dead."

"He's just tougher than most." Johnny defended. "Why don't you take a shot at him?"

"Why? I am not having reason to fight." I responded. "You are prideful fools, and been punished."

"Consider yourselves lucky pirates, because I'm on break today. I only came here to eat at this restaurant." Fullbody told us. "But consider your lives forfeit if we ever cross paths when I'm not off duty."

With that said, a cannon was aimed at us none the less.

"Guys, we're in deep shit!" Usopp panicked. "They're aiming a cannon right at us!"

"Calm down." I told Usopp, stepping into the cannons line of fire. "Is no problem."

The ship fired, hurling its payload at us. With a grunt, I caught the ball in my hand and cocked it back. There was silence as every stared, astounded.

"Fullbody!" I shouted, getting him and his date's attention. "Your hair is stupid!"

Throwing the cannonball back at his ship, I exploded a hole through the hull and out the other side. There was a mad panic as the ship took on water, numerous people jumping ship so as not to be sucked under along with it. Fullbody, was standing on the Baratie's dock, shocked and horrified as he watched his ship sink beneath the waves.

"Dick." I said, turning to the others who continued to stare at me. "Are we ready to eat?"

"Yeah!" Luffy exclaimed. "Let's go, I'm starving!"

"You are always being hungry." I argued, anchoring the ship so we could disembark.

"That's because we never have enough food!" Luffy whined as we walked past the others.

"Нет, you are eating too much." I scolded, brushing past Fullbody. "Need self-control."

I opened the door to the restaurant, the patrons instantly quieting down at the sight of me.

"Welcome to the Baratie, is it just the two of you?" A blond kid asked.

His hair was long and flat, coming down to cover his left eye. Over his right eye, his eyebrow was long and ended in a swirl. He wore a dark suit and with a blue, striped collar shirt. He seemed to be about Zoro's age.

"No, our friends are still outside." Luffy answered. "We need a big table and lots of great food!"

"Well, you've come to the right place." Blondie grinned. "My name's Sanji, I'll get everyone's orders once they all get here. Have a seat at that table by the wall."

Sitting down, we looked over the menu as we waited for the others to join us. Looking up when the door opened, we were disappointed to see that it was only Fullbody.

"You!" He growled, storming over to us. "You destroyed my ship!"

"Да, I did."

"What do you have to say for yourself!"

"You should not have attacked ship."

"Why you-!"

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to stop bothering our guests." Sanji interrupted.

"Stop bothering your…? This man is a pirate!" Fullbody exclaimed, pointing at me. "And he destroyed my ship!"

"He is also a customer. If you want to fight, save it for when he leaves the restaurant." Sanji replied. "So unless you want to be seated, you are going to have to leave."

"Do as Sanji says." I interject. "Get out of here Fullbody, we fight later."

Fullbody looked like he was about to burst, but calmed down when the woman behind him grabbed his arm.

"I'm sure someone here will be willing to take us back to the Marine base, let's not let this ruin our date." The woman said.

Fullbody looked conflicted for a moment, then straightened himself out.

"You're right. I apologize for loosing my temper like that." Fullbody said. "Lets sit and enjoy ourselves."

"In that case, my I ask that you follow me." Sanji said. "And might I add that you are simply beautiful?"

"Oh my, thank you." Fullbody's date giggled.

"I'll deal with you later." Fullbody growled threateningly, not noticing what Sanji was doing.

As they walked off, the others stepped up to the table.

"I'm surprised Fullbody left you alone, he seemed pretty mad." Usopp remarked, sitting down.

"Never underestimate power of boners." I said. "What took you?"

"It took them a minute to process you catching a cannonball out of the air." Nami answered. "Then we had to help Zoro deal with the Marines that attacked us."

"You didn't help at all!" Zoro, Johnny and Yosaku yelled at Nami.

"I stopped them from stealing my treasure." Nami argued. "But if you don't want me to pay for our meals…"

"We are sorry." Johnny and Yosaku bowed.

"I thought so." Nami smirked.

"O'blessed are the oceans for bringing me this fine day! O'love! Laugh if you will at my poor self who cannot endure his torturous passions!" Sanji exclaimed, suddenly appearing with a twirl. "As long as I can be with you, I am prepared to walk any path, be it the paths of a pirate or a devil! But alas, 'tis tragic there is such a great obstacle standing between the two of us!"

"…Am flattered, but not interested." I responded.

"I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU SHITHEAD!" Sanji shouted at me, immediately turning to Nami. "I was talking to this stunning angel."

*Rejected!*

_"Me or him?"_

*Yes*

"By obstacle, do you mean me?" A new voice asked.

"Agh, the geezer!" Sanji exclaimed.

Leaning against a support beam was a man in a chefs outfit. His right leg was a peg, and his blond, braided mustache was ridiculously long. I only noticed those details later, as I was immediately distracted by his hat. It towered above him, the length of a whole other person.

"It's a good chance, just go and be a pirate." Hatty McHaterson said. "I don't need a guy like you in my restaurant."

"Hey, you damn geezer, I'm the assistant head chef of this place." Sanji said.

*I don't think that's a real position.*

"So just what do you mean exactly when you say I'm not needed!?"

"You cause too much trouble with the guests, and if they happen to be female you drool all over them." The chef said. "You also can't cook a decent meal to save your life. You're just unnecessary baggage holding the restaurant down. And as you probably know, none of the other chefs want you here as well. So wether it be a pirate or something else, it's just better for you to get the hell out of my shop."

*Man, can't anything be normal here?*

_"This is probably normal for here, considering everything else we've seen so far."_

*Be that as it may, I don't give a shit about their problems.*

_"…Want to play Galaga?"_

*…*

_"…"_

*…Fuck it, sure.*

* * *

_"That is such bullshit, Kevin Costner was in 24. Not Kevin Spacey."_

*Shut up, something's happening."

Sitting up, I saw that some guy was sitting at a table, holding another man at gunpoint.

The one with the gun was dripping wet, and looked to be starved. He was wearing a large grey and blue striped headband and had short, dark hair. He had on a white jacket with red snake designs over a dark green shirt.

The man at gunpoint was a beefy dude with a shaved head, a piece of rope tied around it. He had on an apron, so he must have been one of the chefs at the restaurant.

The gunman started demanding food, but the bald chef was having none of it since the gunman couldn't pay. After beating down the gunman, the chef threw him out of the restaurant. Sanji got a strange look on his face, then walked to the kitchen. Luffy must have noticed this, because he then followed Sanji.

After we ate and hung around the restaurant a bit, I returned to the ship. Luffy had convinced me to give him time to recruit Sanji, so now I found myself laying in a hammock bored out of my mind.

*Two bottles of beer on the wall, two bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, one bottle of beer on the wall.*

_"I fucking hate you so much."_

*One bottle of beer on the wall, one bottle of beer. Take it down, pass it around, 1,000 bottles of beers on the floor.*

There was a slight jerk as the wind caught our sail. Thankful that we were finally on our way, I tuned out Zane and waited for us to reach wherever we were heading next. While I was laying there, I noticed that I couldn't hear the usual sounds of Luffy goofing off or playing with Usopp. Curious, I walked out to deck and was surprised to find only Nami.

"Where are others?" I asked, starling the orange-haired girl.

"Kendrick!" She exclaimed, spinning around. "What are you doing here?"

"I was resting." I answered, noticing her watery eyes. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing, I just…I got something in my eye." Nami answered, wiping her face. "I, ah, I remembered I needed to get home, so Luffy let me go on ahead."

"Oh. Lucky I was on ship." I remarked, leaning next to Nami. "So, where was strange lady?"

"Lady…? Oh, right. I'll bring you to her when we get there." Nami answered. "It's going to be a while until we get there, so why don't you go lay down or something?"

"Alright." I replied, walking to sit at the mast. "Nami…"

"Yeah?"

"I…I am not good with speaking. But I can listen, if there is need."

"…Thanks."

I now found myself walking with Nami, heading towards a large…pagoda? Yeah, a pagoda surrounded by a large wall. The closer we got, the more I feel that Zalgo was here. And it was making me mad.

"Whats wrong with you, you've been growling for the last minute or so." Nami asked.

"Anxious." I answered. "Let us hurry."

"We're here, just calm down and don't-"

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Someone screamed from behind us.

We turned to see a kid running towards us, blade in hand. As he got closer, Nami used her staff to bop him one and knock him over. The kid got back up, brandishing his sword threateningly.

"Arlong killed my dad!" The boy cried, tears welling up in his eyes. "So I'm going to kill Arlong. If you get in my way, I'll kill you too!"

"Arlong doesn't have time to waste on brats like you!" Nami yelled at the kid, hitting him again. "So if you understand, go home. Here's a little money, use it for your own protection."

We left the kid there, continuing our walk to the gate.

"Who is Arlong?" I asked.

"You'll see." Nami answered. "Let me do the talking, I don't want you messing anything up."

I held back a snippy response. This was not the time for jokes.

The doors opened, revealing an extravagant courtyard that led to a number of…people gathered around a chair. I hesitate at people, because they were more akin to fish. Amalgamations of man and sea, from rays to squid, stood around a shark-man sitting in the chair. His long, saw-like nose and toothy grin, along with his blue skin, betrayed his freakish nature. Of course, I didn't have much to say in regards to a 'freakish nature'. The shark-man was wearing a fur hat, patterned collar shirt, and shorts.

"Ohhh! So you're back, that was quite the long trip." The shark-man said.

"This mansion is as lax as always." Nami replied.

"Ha, as if someone would knowingly dare to raid my estate." The shark-man laughed. "That being said, I can't help but notice that you've brought a guest with you."

"Yes, about that…I met him while I was out collecting, and he has some business with you." Nami explained. "Or, more accurately, with…Sasha."

A few of the fish-men suddenly seemed uncomfortable, even the shark-guy's grin faltered to a grimace.

"What sort of business would that be?" Shark-man asked.

"He intends to kill me." A new voice said. "I've been expecting you, Kendrick."

Sauntering into view was a thin woman in dark dress. Her long, black hair covered her right eye and fell just past her soldiers. Zalgo's corruption was obvious; black, void-like eyes where the roots of dark veins spread over her body. Completing the look were blood-stained elbow-length gloves, the ends of the fingers silver claws.

"Have you?" I growled.

"Yes, I've gotten so much practice waiting for you." "Sasha" said, brushing past the shark-man. "Arlong here has provided many opportunities. Fishman are very interesting creatures, quite strong. Ten-fold the strength of any man from birth as I've heard."

Zalgo grinned, slowly turning to face me.

"Of course, that's still nothing compared to you." Zalgo said. "It's like comparing ants to the boot that crushes them."

"HAHAHAH!" The shark-man, Arlong, laughed. "As if any human could compare to the might of a Fishman! You have been a valuable resource, but don't assume that you're free to-"

In an instant, Arlong was struggling under Zalgo's crushing grip, trapped by his throat in his chair.

"And don't _you_ assume that you're free to speak to me in such a matter." Zalgo said, the wild grin on his face conflicting with his tone. "I've put up with your drivel up until now, but you've suddenly become expendable. I would recommend keeping your mouth shut when the adults are talking, brat."

Letting go of Arlong, Zalgo returned his attention to me. Before he could say anything, he noticed Nami next to me. Looking between the two of us, a lecherous grin appearing on his face.

"This is fantastic!" Zalgo exclaimed, clapping. "You've managed to make a new friend. I don't know if she's told you, but Nami and I have some history. She's quite…talented, if you understand."

Nami blushed, looking towards the ground. Her arms tensed, and she was clearly upset about something. It didn't take long for me to piece a theory together.

"I swear, if you hurt her…" I threatened.

"Oh, quite the opposite." Zalgo replied, suddenly appearing behind Nami and groping her chest. "I made sure she enjoyed every shameful minute. It's always impressive the lengths people go through to protect what they love, don't you agree?"

"Do not dare touch her!" I roared, reaching for Zalgo who simply flipped away. "I am tired of games, is time for you to die!"

"Oh, don't be such a boor." Zalgo laughed. "We can't start our game until all the players are here."

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"Hey boss!" Someone new cried out. "We picked up this guy, and…what's going on here?"

"A _~cough~_ a mutiny is what, Sasha has shown her true colors." Arlong answered, sitting up while rubbing his throat.

It was then that I noticed Zoro, bound in rope.

"Kendrick!" He exclaimed. "Why did you and Nami steal the Merry?"

"What? We did not steal it, Luffy…" I started, realizing I had been tricked. "Nami, the fuck!?"

"Oops, I must have spoken too soon about those friends of yours." Zalgo said. "All the same, this only makes it easier when they abandon you. Like all the rest."

"Shut up!" I roared. "Enough from you! Zoro, where are others?"

"Usopp and Johnny are somewhere on the island." Zoro answered. "Luffy and Yosaku were dealing with some trouble back at the Baratie."

"Silence, human!" Arlong shouted. "Men, capture them!"

Fishman suddenly exploded from the pools of water in the plaza, surrounding us. Nami walked over to stand by Arlong, her eyes somehow suddenly hidden behind her hair.

"Nami, why?" I asked, drawing a cleaver.

"It's because she understands the benefits of working for the winning side." Arlong laughed. "We Fishman are superior in every way, but Nami's map-making abilities are by far the best I've ever seen. She has been a key part of the expansion of the glorious Arlong Empire, and has fooled you into trusting her!"

"Just like Zalgo fooled you." I noted, inching towards Zoro.

"Who?" Arlong asked, confused.

**"Me."** Zalgo answered, licking blood from his fingers.

While we were distracted with each other, Zalgo had torn apart half of Arlong'a forces. Literally. Pieces where everywhere, decapitated heads forever frozen in faces of agony. Blood soaked the ground and sea, everyone shocked at the ruthless efficiency Zalgo demonstrated.

"H-how?" Arlong mumbled, utterly shocked. "How did you…?"

**"It was quite simple really."** Zalgo answered with a mad grin. **"Here, let me show you."**

Most didn't even have the chance to scream. They were torn limb-from-limb, emasculated and eviscerated by a merciless tormentor. Quickly, there was only one remaining. Zalgo had the unlucky Fishman held above his head, and with a sickening tearing sound ripped him in half. Blood poured over Zalgo, who simply stood there and took it.

**"Don't you miss this feeling, Kendrick?"** Zalgo asked, turning his head to the sky. **"No rules, no expectations, only freedom. The freedom to do as you please. The freedom to be who you ****_really_**** are. Don't you miss the simplicity of it all?"**

"You know the answer." I said, cutting Zoro loose.

**"Do I? You had everything, all the freedom in the world. And you gave it up. Why? Is this not easier? Is this not your natural state? Taking what you want, knowing nothing can stop you? All your life you've fought against me, and all I've done is help you every step of the way." **Zalgo said, turning his head towards me**. "I gave you power, and you refuse to use it. I gave you freedom, and you imprison yourself. I made you beautiful, and you hide it. You are a prince of the universe, and choose to live amongst the peasants."**

"You do not know me."

**"Don't I? All your life I've been there, guiding you. Molding you. Making you ****_perfect_****. I know you best of all, I made you. The question isn't whether or not ****_I_**** know you. But do ****_you_**** know you?"**

"I…"

**"You're a mess. You can't sleep. You hold back. You're in pain. You're alone. All of these things, these problems, and the solution is so simple. But you refuse. You, in spite of all common sense, persist in fighting against yourself. How long have you watched as these…insects, these…vermin make the same mistakes again and again? Decades? Centuries? Do you even know?"**

"…"

**"It can all be fixed. ****_You_**** can fix it. Take control, take your throne. They'll hate you for it, but that's the point. You can do what they can't, the hardest thing to do. The ****_right_**** thing. Lead them to a brighter future. Become what you where always meant to be, the flame that lights their world."**

"I…but I…you…"

**"I have done nothing but hand the world a candle. It's always been them to light fuse."**

It was then I realized how close Zalgo had gotten. He was leaning on my shoulder, talking directly in my ear. His voice was soothing, smothering. Why was he making sense? Why wasn't he wrong? He was the monster, the villain, and I was the hero.

**"Oh no, you are no hero. There are no heroes here, only monsters like us. We have the power, and we are ****_hated_**** for it. Hated for being different. Hated for being ****_better_****. And we are better, how could we not be? The mortals are weak. They live short, meaningless lives in ignorance. Suffering, bigotry, cruelty; they are guilty of this and so much more. We can make it better, we ****_have_**** to make it better. That's all I want, all I ever wanted. Better. And ****_Nothing_**** is better than this."**

A memory of my sister filled my mind. We had just won our first victory against Zalgo. Dozens had died in the fighting, and countless innocents were slaughtered before we made it. All this pointless death because of a single man, scorned by the woman he loved. He let Zalgo in, and gave up everything to have what he wanted.

"Why?" I asked Natasha. "Why did he do it?"

"You know why." She answered.

"No! There has to be a better answer! So many people, dead. Some of them our friends. I can't believe they died for nothing!"

"They didn't. They died for a cause they believed in. They died to make this world a better place. People will do anything to have a better life, even if it brings everyone down with them. That is why we're here, to make the best world we can. So things like this don't happen."

"It's just so…stupid. One man causes all this, because he couldn't get a date?"

"People are stupid. People are selfish. People make mistakes. It's a part of being a _person_. We have to be better, to lead by example. It's a lot of responsibility, but I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe in all this. What do you believe in?"

"I…I believe…"

**"Yes?"**

"I believe…"


	4. Chapter 4

"I believe that you are monster. That you are scum. I believe that I will kill you, and that is all I need to believe."

…

**"How disappointing, you still don't have an answer."**

With a roar, I tried to grab Zalgo who simply dashed out-of-the-way.

**"Nuh-uh-uh, it's not play time yet." **Zalgo giggled.** "We have to wait for everyone to get here."**

"No more waiting!" I shouted, charging Zalgo.

Just before I could hit him, he spun past me and slapped a piece of paper onto my back. I instantly lost all control of my body, sliding across the ground. Zalgo walked over and crouched next to me, pressing his knee to my head.

**"A gift from an old friend, Rei."** Zalgo explained. **"Though you probably know her better as Mars. This little thing will keep you in line until everyone shows up. It was made for me, but we aren't that different. Are we?"**

I could barely twitch my eye in response.

**"Glad you agree."** Zalgo laughed. **"Now stay, and you'll get a treat later."**

_"I am NOT a fucking DOG!"_

*Heel, boy.*

_"FALL OUT OF A PLANE AND LAND ANUS FIRST ON THE SPIRE OF WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL!"_

*Kinky.*

_"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"_

* * *

I had difficulty paying attention after that, seething rage and the fact that half of my vision was obscured by the ground. From what I heard, Usopp showed up at some point and was quickly followed by Johnny. Nothing much happened after that, so I assumed they had been subdued somehow.

*Or they're cowards, and are waiting for Luffy and the others to show up.*

At some point, Zalgo must have gotten tired of waiting. I stared hearing screams, and it killed me that I couldn't do anything about it.

_"Please, please let nothing happen to them."_ I prayed, paralysis the only thing keeping me from crying.

*Get a hold of yourself. Why do you even care about what happens to those people?*

_"Because they don't deserve whatever Zalgo is doing to them. No one does."_

*Who is "them"?*

_"What?"_

*Who is "them"? It's a simple question. I don't know anyone by "them". Do you mean Nami, Usopp, Johnny, and Zoro? Because they aren't "them". Remember the last "them"?*

_"Don't talk about them."_

*Which "them" do you mean? You've managed to gather quite a few "them"'s at this point. And you're as powerless to help this "them" as any of the other "them"s.*

_"…"_

*No snippy response?*

_"Shut up."_

*Eloquent.*

The screaming stopped the same moment a crashing sound echoed through the Plaza.

**"Ah, that must be the great Monkey D. Luffy."** Zalgo said. **"Now the game can begin."**

I was suddenly picked up and thrown towards the others, rolling to a stop at Nami's feet. From my position, I could look up and see her surprised face. Her eyes were red, likely from whatever Zalgo had been doing, and it made me angry to think that she had been hurt in any way.

*She betrayed us.*

_"We don't know that for sure."_

*Oh, fuck you! What do you think is going to happen, she's suddenly going to reveal herself to be…*

_"To be what?"_

*Never mind. Just get ready to fight.*

_"…"_

Deciding to let it go, I waited for my chance to act.

* * *

It was a few minutes later that Luffy appeared, and it sounded like he brought some people with him.

"Arlong, I'm here to kick your ass!" He exclaimed.

**"Fantastic, you've arrived!"** Zalgo exclaimed.** "Perhaps a bit later than I predicted, but I can be forgiving."**

"Are you Arlong?" Luffy asked, sounding confused.

**"No, that would be my associate here."** Zalgo replied, walking over to kick me towards Luffy. **"I'm an old friend of Kendrick."**

"Ken! What did you do to him!" Luffy demanded, angry now.

**"Everything, nothing, it's hard to say really."** Zalgo cryptically answered. **"It's hard to say where I end and he begins. We go back a long ways you see, I know him better that anyone. Would you like to hear a secret?"**

My heart seized in my chest, fear driving me to panic. Zalgo could destroy the tentative relationships I had created with these people, and there was nothing I could do to stop him.

"No, I want you to make him better!" Luffy yelled. "I don't care about his secrets, or about Nami's past! All that matters now is that we're friends! And if you hurt my friends, I'll make you pay!"

There was silence, then Zalgo and someone else began to laugh.

**"Oh, that is quite rich."** Zalgo laughed. **"I must applaud your spirit, you remind me of Kendrick before he raped his sister."**

Another stunned silence, only I able to hear the shattering of their trust.

**"I'm sorry, I wasn't supposed to let that slip."** Zalgo said, "apologetic". **"At least I didn't tell you that he's a convicted serial killer, or that he's not even human. It would be so terrible if you learned that he's been known to eat people alive, or that he once committed genocide."**

*Good times.*

_"Please, just shut the fuck up."_

"You're lying!" Luffy shouted. "There's no way Ken would do those things!"

**"Why don't you ask him yourself?"** Zalgo replied. **"Just remove that slip of paper."**

The moment Luffy freed me from the charm's magic, I shot to my feet.

"Who is hurt?" I demanded. "Who was screaming?

**"Screaming? I don't think anyone was screaming."** Zalgo replied, grinning. **"Are you sure you aren't…hearing things?"**

Motherfucker was messing with me. Before I could respond with something snippy, Luffy spoke up.

"Kendrick, was he telling the truth?" The rubber-boy asked.

There was a brief moment as Luffy stared me down, then I exploded forward. A deafening roar tore itself from my throat as I decked Zalgo across the chin. He tumbled backwards, sliding to a stop on his feet so he could springboard back towards me. Spinning in the air he kicked and cracked my mask, forcing me to the ground. Growling, I drew my cleavers and jumped at him, Zalgo diving out-of-the-way. My anger grew and grew as he dodged and ducked my attacks, his inane laughter never once letting up.

**Держите еще вы ебать!(Hold still you fuck!)**

**"I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request."**

Steam started to rise from my skin, my blood pumping as fast as it could go. We danced for a minute or two more, then Zalgo suddenly stopped.

**"I'm done."**

"Что?(What?)"

**"I'm done fighting you. I'm bored. You're boring me."**

At that point, I broke a bit. I honestly can't remember the entirety of what happened, but the general idea is that I was pissed. It ended with me repeatedly smashing Zalgo's head against the pavement, smoke rising from my clothes as a result of going too fast. Zalgo managed to fit his foot against my chest and kicked me off of him, deciding then to start fighting back.

We traded blows back and forth, Zalgo taking some damage now that he was forcing himself into a vulnerable position. Zalgo snuck a blow in, slashing my chest as I took the chance to grab his arm and smash him against the ground. He twisted around and broke my arm with his legs, letting go as I used my limp arm to whip Zalgo against the floor. He charged me and unleashed a flurry of blows, dodging out-of-the-way as I reached for him. Zalgo tried coming from behind, but I shot my leg out and caught him in the stomach. Spinning around, I crushed him against the ground once again. He was stunned momentarily, so I used the chance to rip one of his arms away. Kicking up to buckle my knee, Zalgo slid from under me as strands of corruption shot out to grab his arm. Returning to place, the tendrils held the arm slightly away from the shoulder.

We had reached a stalemate, the clock on our battle began to tick as I started running out of energy and Zalgo's wounds grew more and more grievous. It became a battle of attrition, the both of us waiting for the other to fuck up and make a mistake.

It was me.

I _slipped_. I fucking _slipped_. I wasn't paying attention and pressed my foot down on a pool of blood, resulting in me losing my balance for a moment. Zalgo capitalized on this and forced his hand through my gut to grab my spine. Pulling it out-of-place, I was thrown towards the water's edge. I didn't even try to move; I was running on fumes.

**"I expected better from you."** Zalgo said, standing by me. **"I made you better than this, why do you hold back?"**

"If…I become…a…monster…like you." I struggled to get out. "That…defeats the…purpose…of fighting you."

**"What _is_ the purpose?"** Zalgo demanded angrily. **"You keep talking about this 'purpose', but you don't even know what it is. You make me sick, you and your hypocrisy. Why do you fight?"**

"…"

**"You don't even know, you just _do_. Without really knowing why, you do."**

"And I'll keep fighting…to find that answer."

Using the last of my energy, my tail wrapped around Zalgo as I pushed myself into the water. Zalgo was dragged down with me, and I could watch as his corruption seemed to…dissolve, for lack of a better term, in the water. The body he was corrupting had nothing keeping it together, the pieces drifting away into the blackness. Pain flared around me as the water began to boil, causing me to heal, causing me to heat up, causing the water to boil. I could do nothing as the cycle of pain and healing began to cook me alive, my body becoming ash as my energy was burnt up.

My vision went first, quickly followed by my hearing. I felt the pain until my last moments, embracing the deep peace that was darkness.

* * *

Everywhere. They were everywhere. Around me, on me, in me. The buzzing was deafening as they invaded my everything, thousands of tiny legs crawling and flying everywhere. I was choking on them, they were in my lungs. The more I flailed the more I was consumed by them. Hundreds of them. Thousands. Of all sizes they came, the largest of them crushing me under their weight. They poured from me, and forced their way in all at once.

Drowning.

I was drowning.

Drowning in my lies.

* * *

I awoke screaming, as best I could at least. It came out more like a quiet whine as my throat hadn't completely healed yet. Slowly turning my head, I fought past the burning pain such a simple action had caused. A curtain was pulled around the bed I was laying on, but I could hear people's voices from beyond it. My roving eyes soon fell to my arm, surprise taking hold.

I could see the bone, charred and blackened. Thin strands of muscle and cartilage kept it together, but it still made no sense. How would I possibly be seeing this? Hesitantly, I tried to raise my arm. My arm felt like it was on fire, but I could move it none the less.

_"What is happening?"_

*I don't have a single clue, but let's not question it.*

Sitting up would have brought tears to my eyes if I could cry, but I quickly learned that I didn't have eyelashes. Pulling back the curtain, I came dangerously close to falling when I saw myself in a nearby mirror.

I looked even more like a monster. Blackened bone speckled with flesh and ligaments, just enough to barely keep me together. My red eyes stared from their sockets, my throat open to the world and no tongue in my lipless mouth. My tail hung limply from my waist, pooling around my feet.

Creeping forward, I peered around the curtain's edge to see who had been talking. I saw Nami and someone who looked like a doctor talking. The doctor was hunched over her shoulder, his back obscuring what he was doing.

"How is he doing?" Nami asked.

"About what you'd expect for a corpse." The doctor replied. "I'm still not sure why you dumped it on me."

"Just tell us if anything changes, it's important." Nami said. "He-ow!-he was…is a friend of ours. I hope."

"'I hope.'?"

"…Some thing's happened before Luffy defeated Arlong, and we need answers."

"Well, don't hold your breath. Dead men tell no tales."

Deciding that now was as good a time as any to leave, I looked for a way out. In my search, I found my tattered coat folded on a chair next to my bed. My boots, mask and pants had been laid atop it, dried off from their trip to the depths. Finding a window, I made my escape and left for the nearby woods. Hopefully something there would be…edible.

* * *

Pouncing a rabbit, I snapped its neck before swallowing it. I didn't feel like going through the process of de-boning it, resigning myself to regurgitating it later. I had managed to scrounge up a few animals in my hunt for food, but nothing sizable. searching around some more, I heard some noises coming from ahead. Leaping into a tree, I jumped along the branches to the source of the disturbance.

"…een hours, we should head back." A voice said.

"Are you crazy?!" A different voice demanded. "What if Sasha is still there? Let's just wait here until we're certain everything's calmed down."

"And what if she beats Arlong? Are we going to hide here the rest of our lives?"

"There's no way that'll happen! Nobody can beat Arlong."

"And nobody could beat Sasha either, don't you remember how she became second in command?"

"As if I could forget, it took days to clean everything up."

"Exactly! I say we wait for dark, then head back. We'll scrounge up some supplies and leave on one of the spare boats, head back to Fishman Island."

"Let's wait until morning, that way if Arlong wins we'll be able to sneak back in during the party. He'll be angry if he learned that we ran away."

"Yeah, good thin-"

Diving from my perch above the two Fishmen, I tore out the fatter one's throat. I had listened in on their conversation incase I could gather any useful information, deciding that the boat and supplies they had talked about would be useful. The fat one's hands shot up to his neck, shock clear on his face as he gave out a wet gurgle of pain. Collapsing to the ground, he died soon after. Turning my attention the other one, a goldfish it looked like, I growled at his quickly retreating form.

Giving out a roar, I chased after him. It didn't take long, as I was far better suited for the hunt than him. Lashing out with my tail, I tripped him up and watched as he tumbled across the ground. Holding his now limp arm, he tried desperately to crawl away while mumbling prayers and begging for his life. Closing the distance between us, I snapped his neck and dragged him back to his friend.

* * *

Stretching, I enjoyed the simple pleasure of my bones popping. I dressed myself, beginning my trek back to Arlong's palace. When I got there, however, I found the place completely destroyed.

*Luffy's one tough bastard.*

_"Why do you think Luffy did this?"_

*No reason, just making an ass of you and me.*

_"I wonder if that phrase fit's anyone else's situation as well as ours?"_

*Are you calling me an ass?*

_"To say the least."_

*Dick.*

_"That is also applicable, yes."_

*…Sometimes I worry you're getting better at being snarky than me.*

_"Where would you ever get that idea?"_

Finding nothing, I started heading back to town when I realized I had no idea what to do. I had no plan, no resources, and no allies.

*What happened to 'them'?*

_"Zalgo."_

*True enough, they're more likely to attack you that to take you back.*

"Ken!" A familiar voice called.

*Speaking of which, why don't you ask them?*

Spinning around, I saw Luffy running after me, quickly followed by Nami. Panicking I started running as well.

"GUM GUM…ROCKET!" I heard from behind me, prompting me to turn my head.

My heart seized when I saw Luffy flying towards me. Before I could even squeak, he wrapped his arms around me like a snake and dragged me to the ground. I fought against him, having a difficult time escaping from his rubber shackles.

"Let go!" I growled.

"No!" Luffy responded, tightening his hold. "If I do, you'll run away."

"Да!"

"Kendrick!" Nami exclaimed, panting slightly as she caught up with us. "What are you doing here?"

"Does not matter, let go!" I replied.

"No!" Luffy said.

"Да!"

"No!"

"Да!"

"No!"

"Да!"

"No!"

"Shut up!" Nami screamed, interrupting us with blow to the head. "Both of you be quiet! I'll do the talking."

Me and Luffy promptly quieted down, Zane making whipping sounds in my head.

"First things first…"

*I'm the realest.*

"…is what Sasha said true?"

"…" I didn't dare say anything, not even attempting a lie. I wouldn't be able to pull it off.

"…is all of it true?"

"…Да, is true." I answered quietly tears escaping my eyes.

Nami gave a gasp, and even Luffy seemed conflicted.

"Why?" The rubber boy asked.

"…I…have made mistakes." I answered. "And people will hate you for doing right thing."

"The right thing!" Nami exclaimed, clearly angry. "The right thing! How could murder ever be the 'right thing'? Genocide? RAPING your SISTER!"

"That was mistake!" I argued, my gaze meeting her's. "I did not mean to, I just…I just…"

"What! What did 'you just'?" Nami demanded.

"I…was in dark place." I replied. "She was light, beacon, and I tried to take her. I did not…she was…I failed. I lost control. I…every time I look in mirror, I make me sick. Every time I dream, I remember what I did. It hurts, I hate me for it."

I was sobbing now, unable to handle the sudden influx of emotions.

"I tried. I tried making it better, but I know I will never be forgiven. She was all I had, and I was tired of being alone. She had left me before, I was scared she would again. I made mistake, I drove her away. I made me alone. Is what I deserve. Alone."

Luffy let go of me, but I didn't care. I was pathetic, curled up in a ball on the ground, crying. I waited for them to leave, why wouldn't they? I was a monster.

A monster that ate people.

A monster that raped.

A monster that was going to live forever.

I was going to be alone forever, and nothing was gong to change that.

"You're not alone."

…What?

"If you really are sorry, we'll forgive you." Luffy continued, looking down at me, serious. "That's what friends do."

I looked into his eyes, looking for any sign this was a trap or trick. Nothing. He meant it.

"You'll take me with you?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Of course." Luffy grinned. "I don't leave people behind."

There was a moment as I realized what was happening. Losing myself, I shot up and wrapped my arms around Luffy. Pressing my face against him, I sobbed into his chest.

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you…" I repeated over and over, stopping only to cough as I choked on my tears.

Luffy and Nami waited a moment for me to calm down, then helped me to my feet. Walking with them, I gasped when a piece of my mask fell away.

"What's wr_~gasp~_!" Nami started, turning around to meet my eye.

My uncovered eye.

"Don't!" I barked, turning away.

"What is it?" Luffy asked, worried.

"I need to fix mask." I answered. "Go ahead, I'll met you at ship."

"…Alright." Luffy relented. "There's a party happening, we'll see you there."

They walked off as I walked over to a tree. Taking out my axe, I cut out a fairly large piece of it.

* * *

It took an hour or two, but I managed to whittle it down to something wearable. Using the pieces I could from my old mask, the final design was a mostly white face with two large, dark indents for eyes and a smaller one for my mouth. Tearing a strip of cloth from my coat, I used it to hold the mask on until I found something better.

*We look like a Shy Guy.*

"It's the best I can manage for now."

Heading the way Nami and Luffy had went, I rushed to catch up with them.

* * *

They weren't kidding about the party, a whole village was celebrating. It honestly made me a bit uncomfortable, so many people all crowded together. Deciding to explore a bit, I somehow found myself at a cliff side grave that looked out to sea. It was a simple thing, a tack of dirt and a wood cross.

"Не один для сторон либо?(Not one for parties either?)" I asked, sitting down."Я не виню вас, немного слишком живой для me...no преступление.(I don't blame you, a little too lively for me…no offense.)"

"…"

"Я говорю с мертвым человеком, и я до сих пор удалось в конечном итоге с моей ноги в рот.(I'm talking to a dead person, and I still manage to end up with my foot in my mouth.)" I sighed. "Великий собеседник, я не являюсь. При этом, это то, что у нас общего.(A great conversationalist, I am not. That being said, it's something we have in common.)"

"…"

"Наслаждайтесь сами, где вы находитесь.(Enjoy yourself, wherever you are.)" I continued. "Вы заработали свой мир.(You've earned your peace.)"

"What are you doing?"

The voice made me jump. Looking behind me I saw Nami staring at me, glaring slightly.

"I am not good with people." I answered. "Is better if I am here."

"Why _here_ though?" Nami demanded.

"Found it." I shrugged. "Did you know them?"

"Yes." Nami answered tersely. "I knew her."

"I am sorry." I replied. "I am sure she was good person."

"She was, better that you could ever hope to be."

The jab hurt, but I took it in stride.

"I am certain as well." I responded. "Are you wanting me to leave?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

Sighing, I stood and brushed my pants off. Walking towards Nami, I noticed her look through the holes in my coat at my scars.

"Is there place to fix coat?" I asked.

"…Yeah, I have a few things at my house." Nami answered. "Follow me."

Doing as she said, we soon came to a fairly nice looking house. Behind it was a large tangerine orchard, or perhaps oranges? I couldn't tell the difference. Walking inside, I meet a new face.

The woman was built similar to Nami, her skin tanned. She had styled blue hair, a red ribbon wrapped around it. Her chest and right arm were tattooed, revealed by the beige sleeveless shirt she was wearing. She had blue trousers and purple sandals, and I think some kind of lipgloss.

"Who's your friend?" The woman asked, leaning against the fridge.

"Ask him yourself, I need to get some things." Nami responded.

I winced at her tone, fairly certain it was my fault she was upset.

"Hello, my name is Кендрик." I introduced myself. "Is pleasure to be meeting you."

"I'm Nojiko, Nami's sister." The woman introduced herself. "I must say, I'm impressed you've managed to piss her off and still be let into our house."

"I am thinking it is mostly to get me away from grave." I remarked, my eyes traveling around the room.

"Grave?" Nojiko echoed.

"Да, grave." I said, my gaze coming to rest on a picture. "Said she knew person…buried… there…"

The picture was of a family, all smiley and happy as families usually are. Holding two young girls, orange and blue haired, was an older pink haired women. She was wearing a green button up checkered shirt, and the parts of her head were shaved, what remained creating a strange sort of mohawk. Nojiko wasn't saying anything, but I could tell she was staring at me none the less.

"…How long?" I asked. "Has she been gone?"

"A few years now." Nojiko answered, taking the picture from my hand. "When Arlong first came here, he killed her."

"But…Nami was working with him?" I noted, confused.

"To save our home." The orange-haired girl answered, coming down the steps with a few sewing supplies. "I made a deal with Arlong. I made his maps, and he was going to let me buy our freedom."

Something about the way she said that made me doubt Arlong's honesty.

"He lied?" I asked.

"Yes, he did." Nami answered. "He stole the money anyway. But then Luffy saved me, saved all of us."

There was a pause as Nami seemed to consider something.

"And you did as well, I suppose." She continued. "You beat Sasha, who was throwing around Arlong like he was nothing. That, and everything else she did…Thank you."

"You should not thank me, I do not deserve it." I replied.

"What do you mean?" Nojiko asked. "You helped to save us."

"Perhaps, but I am selfish." I replied. "I did not kill her for you, I killed her for me. She ruined me, and I wanted revenge."

"What do you think we wanted?" Nami demanded angrily, her gaze drilling holes into the floor. "She was a monster, and she…"

Nami suddenly looked up to glair at me. Stepping over, she jabbed her finger into my chest.

"You know what, I'm tired of hearing all your self-pity!" Nami shouted. "You aren't the only one who's had it rough! I've had to help the man who killed my mother, do you have any idea what that feels like!"

"…"

"I've spent all this time, sailing around and stealing money from people, to save a village I had assumed hated me! Then Sasha came along and made everything worse! She threatened my sister, and made me do…things to keep her safe! I hated it, and it made me sick, but I did it none the less. Then I learn that she had turned around and made Nojiko do the same thing! So I don't want to hear any of your shit, just shut up and accept our thanks!"

"!"

I was surprised, to say the least.

"…You are welcome." I said, backing away a bit. "Can I still use sewing stuff?"

"Yeah, I don't care." Nami replied, sitting at a nearby table. "Fix your coat and get out, enjoy the party."

"Thank you." I said.

Now I reached an impasse. Should I take the thing I needed and go somewhere else, or would that be bad? I could do it here, but…

*They've already seen parts of it, might as well show them the whole thing.*

Biting the bullet, I took off my coat.

Nojiko and Nami both gasped at the sight of my scarred body. Stitching my coat back together, I felt exposed as their eyes traced every jagged line and rough patch. Hurrying to finish, I put my coat back on.

Giving a mumbled "Thank You.", I quickly left their house.

* * *

The celebration was still going on, nobody giving any sign that they were going to slow down any time soon.

I found the others, each doing their own thing. Luffy was stuffing himself full of food, Zoro was drinking, Usopp was telling stories to whoever'd listen, and even that chef Sanji was here.

The moment our eyes met, Sanji's attitude changed. In an instant he switched from merriment to grim seriousness, freeing himself from the group of women he had surrounded himself with to stomp his way over to me.

*Oh fuck, what did you do now?*

_"I don't know!"_

"YOU!" Sanji yelled as he got close to me. "Was what that woman said true?"

"…Yes." I sighed.

Sanji's kick hit me before I realized he moved. Grunting as I flinched back, Sanji was clearly displeased I wasn't on my ass. While his kick was certainly strong, I was built to handle worse. Kicking me again and again, we soon gathered a small crowd of onlookers as he continued his assault. Standing there and taking it, I felt a tooth be knocked loose.

"Sanji!" Luffy exclaimed, suddenly appearing. "Stop!"

"Why!" Sanji demanded, turning to the rubber-boy. "What makes him and different from Arlong? Just another monster we need to beat."

I finally fell to my knees, shoulders slumped in defeat.

"He's our friend!" Luffy answered. "We don't hurt our friends!"

"How can you say that when you know what he's done!" Sanji shouted. "He's the worst kind of person, and you want him as your friend?"

"What happened before doesn't matter anymore!" Luffy argued. "Kendrick is different now, I know he is."

"How?" Sanji growled. "How do you know?"

"It's a feeling I have." Luffy replied. "An instinct. I know I can trust him."

"TRUST HIM!" Sanji bellowed.

"Sanji, look at him." Zoro said, walking next to Luffy. "He's bleeding out and missing teeth."

"You're taking his side as well, moss-head?" Sanji said.

"No, I'm not. Just think about what you're doing. You've beaten him bloody, and he just stood there and took it." Zoro replied. "He still needs to prove himself, but in all the time we've known Kendrick he's only helped us. If he didn't admit to it, I would have doubts the woman was even telling the truth."

…

"And don't call me moss-head."

"What about you Usopp?" Sanji asked the long-nosed kid. "Do you have something to say for him?"

"…All I can be certain of is that Kendrick saved my island." Usopp said, sounding serious for a change. "Anything other than that, I don't know anything about."

"I can't believe you three." Sanji said. "How can you defend him?"

"Make that four." Nami said, walking towards me. "Here, get up."

Nami helped me to my feet, guiding me over to a chair.

"We're going to give him a chance, it's the least we can do." Nami told Sanji. "If you have a problem with that, then you can leave."

Sanji looked conflicted for a moment, but then adoration filled his eyes.

"Whatever you say _Nami~_!" He swooned, doing a little twirl.

"But!" He continued threateningly, suddenly getting right in my face. "If you dare to hurt any more ladies, I swear I will end you!"

"I hope you can." I responded.

Satisfied, Sanji walked off. There was a pause as someone thought of something to say.

"I would _~pfft~ _be liking something to eat, please?" I said, spitting out a tooth.

* * *

Eating my fill, and then some, I felt good. It's been a while since I could eat so heartily, and it had been showing. Patting my stomach, I decided now was a good time to start on my surprise. I gathered up the materials and hid myself in a forest clearing.

Years of surviving on my own and mechanic work meant that I was good with my hands, a fact I took pride in. This skill transferred to other areas, in this case being sewing. It took an hour or two, but I got the job done. The result was a pair of dolls, just big enough to fill your hand, that were as identical as I could manage.

Pink, stylized hair and a green button up where the most obvious features. A smiling mouth of stitching and small button eyes created the face, painted pieces of wood standing in for sandals. Extra loose fabric were the pants, completing the dolls of Nami and Nojiko's mother.

Making my way back to their house, I placed the dolls on their table. Heading to the ship, I started meditating. Tomorrow we were leaving.


	5. Chapter 5

To say that everyone was surprised when I started screaming would be an understatement. Zane had been complaining for a while now about some scratching, but I paid it no mind. Nami had just said goodbye, in her own way, so I figured he was trying to make me ruin the moment somehow. It became distinctly harder to brush off when it felt like a Graboid had burrowed it's way into my head. Causing a massive scene, I screamed and thrashed around the ship while everyone, even Sanji, tried to figure out what was wrong. Tearing off my mask, I resolved to bash my head open against the mast.

Sliding to the ground, I left a bloody trail of brain as it scraped against the rough wood. Taking a moment to figure out how hands worked, I started digging around my head to the protests of the crew. I heard someone retch, probably Usopp or Nami, but no one made a move to stop me. They were likely too shocked to think of anything to do.

Finding what I was looking for, I pulled out the Babel Fish. Screeching and wriggling for all it's worth, it wrapped around my hand and tried to eat itself free. Crushing it against the deck, I pulled away from the mast and put my mask back on. Waiting until I remembered everyone's names, I stood and looked towards them.

"Sorry for mess." I apologized. "I will clean."

Nobody said anything still, simply walking away to leave me to deal with it. Luffy stayed close, looking at me with concern. Sighing to myself, I went to find a rag and bucket.

Nami's sudden shriek grabbed our attention. Rushing over, we saw a despairing Nami slumped next to a grinning Luffy. The rubber-boy was holding a wanted poster.

Of himself.

"_~Nahahaha!~_ Looks like we're wanted men now!" He laughed. "It says 30 million Beri!"

"Once again, you splendidly fail to understand the gravity of your situation." Nami sighed, frustrated. "Don't you realize this means your life is at risk?! With that bounty, I'm sure that the Marine HQ, as well as other strong bounty hunters, are going to come after you."

"Look, my picture's here for the whole world to see!" Usopp bragged, pointing to a corner of Luffy's wanted poster. "I might be famous!"

"As if, it's just the back of your head." Sanji sulked, clearly upset.

"Don't be jealous now!" Usopp replied. "Once we become more famous, we all might get one!"

"Kendrick, look at this." Zoro said, handing me another flyer.

Looking it over, I felt my heart seize in my chest. It was a wanted poster,with a sketch of me wearing my old mask on it.

*50 million Beri. That's a lot of money…I think.*

"They are wanting me alive?" I noticed.

"Who wants you alive?" Usopp asked, leaning over to peek at the poster. "Whoa, your bounty is even higher than Luffy's!"

"What!" The aforementioned rubber-boy exclaimed. "But I've beaten way stronger guys than Ken!"

"There's another one." Sanji said, finding the last wanted poster. "And this one is for a hundred million!"

We all crowded around Sanji to see what he was talking about.

"Black eyes, strange tattoos, unusual mannerisms, unnatural presence." Usopp read aloud of the list replacing the usual picture. "Anyone matching these descriptions, dead or alive, 100 million Beri."

"Zalgo." I realized. "This poster is for Zalgo."

*That asshole is stealing our thunder, having a higher bounty than us.*

"Sasha fits this description as well." Nami pointed out.

"Sasha and Zalgo are same." I explained. "Zalgo is corruption, spreads like sickness."

Nami suddenly looked very scared.

"Not literally, mostly, you are being safe." I tried to assure her. "Infection is forced, obvious."

Nami calmed down a bit, but was still clearly worried.

"…With this, we cant afford to loiter around the East Blue any longer." She said.

"Alright men, let's head straight for the Grand Line!" Luffy declared.

"Aye, Aye!" Usopp and Sanji agreed.

"Hey, I see an island up ahead." Zoro said, pointing it out.

"You do…?" Nami replied, looking towards the approaching island. "That island is proof that we're close to the Grand Line! On that island there's a famous town called 'Loguetown'. It's also known as the town of the beginning and the end. It's the birthplace of the Pirate King Rodger…as well as his execution spot."

"So that's the town that the Pirate King died at…" Luffy said, suddenly serious.

*This kid's all over the place.*

"Shall we go?" Nami asked.

* * *

Some time later, I found myself wandering Loguetown alone. People would give me wary looks, but other than that it seemed like a pleasant place. As I was walking, I came upon Zoro. He seemed to be troubled about something.

"Zoro!" I called, getting his attention.

"Hey Kendrick." He greeted. "Are you looking for a weapon too?"

"No…but is good idea." I replied. "You know where store is?"

"I think so, follow me." Zoro answered.

It wasn't until later that I realized how amazing it was we actually made it. Walking into the store, we were greeted by a short man with a strange haircut.

"Come right in sirs, please feel free to look around as much as you want." He greeted, his smile exuberant and slightly creepy. "We've got antique swords, new swords, and the latest swords in fashion. After all, this is a well established store that's been in business for over 200 years!"

Letting Zoro talk to the man about what he wanted, I looked around to find the right one for me. After testing a few out, I was disappointed at how…light they all were.

"Excuse me." I said, turning to the clerk. "Do you have anyth-"

"_~Ahhh!~_ This sword, could it be?!" Some blue-haired woman exclaimed, knocking me over in her hast to reach the counter.

Picking myself up out of the pile of swords I had suddenly found myself in, I put them away and walked up to the counter. The blue-haired girl was going on about some famous sword, I think it was Zoro's.

*Fucking bitch.*

"Excuse me." I tried again, catching the clerks attention. "Do you have any heavier swords?"

"Yeah, on that rack there are some broadswords." He pointed out, distracted by whatever the girl was talking about.

"I tried them, they are being to light." I replied.

"Too light?" The clerk responded, looking surprised. "Well, I believe there's a few claymores in the back. If you would please wait a moment."

He then turned to the blue-haired woman.

"And you!" He exclaimed. "Stop bothering my customers with useless facts!"

"How rude." The blue haired girl said as the clerk walked away.

"What's he off to do?" Zoro wondered aloud, picking his sword back up.

It was then that I realized he only had the one sword, instead of his usual three.

_"Must be why he's here."_ I realized.

*You think?*

"Swords are too light." I answered. "Finding ones being heavy."

"What about those broadswords over there?" Blue-hair asked, turning towards me. "They're pretty-oh God!"

Her sudden exclamation startled me, causing me to trip and fall on my back. As I made impact, there was a wet, tearing sound as a sword exploded from my chest. The sight of it brought pain coursing through my torso. It took me a moment to realize what happened, but then I growled in annoyance.

"Damn." I grumbled, standing back up.

"Don't move!" Blue-hair exclaimed, rushing to stop me. "I need to get you help!"

"You have done enough." I replied. "Is your fault for me being impaled."

"My fault?!" Blue-hair repeated. "How!?"

"You pushed me in swords." I reminded her, pointing out the haphazardly replaced rack.

*I repeat; Fucking bitch.*

"I…sorry." Blue-hair replied. "But you still need help."

"I'm fine." I argued, stepping away from her.

"There's a sword sticking from your chest!" Blue-hair shouted. "How can you possibly be fine!?"

"What's all the yelling about?" The clerk answered, returning with a rolling stand. "Are you bothering people in her Tashigi-oh my God!"

Ignoring their panic, I took a claymore and gave it a few practice swings. This would do. It Clearly would have been an effort for most regular people to wield, the blade thick and shiny. A basked hilt wrapped around the handle.

"How much are you wanting?" I asked, replacing the sword.

"Forget the sword, you need to see a doctor!" The clerk exclaimed.

"Is fine, will deal with later." I replied. "How much?"

*Stop asking for the price, just leave.*

Both the clerk and Blue-hair wouldn't drop the whole sword thing, so I decided to oblige them. Grabbing the blade, I pushed it back through my chest until I could reach back and grab the hilt. Pulling it free, I dropped it on the counter.

"How much?." I asked again.

It took a moment for the clerk to process what he saw.

"I…ah…I." He eventually started. "You can have it."

Shrugging, I left the store.

* * *

Walking around, everyone looking even more scared than before, Nami found me, Usopp with her.

"Kendrick!" She called, getting my attention. "What the hell happened to you!?"

"Went shopping." I answered.

"Shopping?!" Usopp exclaimed. "You're covered in blood!"

*I wouldn't say covered, more like stained..*

"Is only my blood." I assured them.

"That only makes us even more worried!" Nami exclaimed. "What happened? What if someone calls the Marines when they see you?!"

I shrugged in response, not having thought about it.

"You there!" An accented voice called. "With the claymore! Stop!"

Nami and Usopp both glared at me as I laughed nervously. I tried to place the accent, as it sounded familiar, but I couldn't think of anything that made sense.

*Good job, retard.*

_"Not helping."_ I replied._ "Let's just deal with this and move…"_

*Holy shit, no way!*

I dropped my sword, almost smashing Usopp's foot in the process.

_"…"_

*Like, fuck. Man, what are even the odds at work here? Probably some Douglas Adams shit.*

_"…"_

*…You should probably do something other than stare, she's talking to you.*

"…Natasha?" I hesitantly asked.

Standing before me, accompanied by a group of Marines, was a woman who looked exactly like my sister. Her hair was cut short, falling just to her ears, and was bright red. She was wearing a marine uniform, but there was a MPF patch on her shoulder. It had to be Natasha, but it couldn't…could it? She wasn't old enough.

"You know me?" She asked, surprised. "Who are you?"

"Наташа, это я.(Natasha, it's me.)" I answered, taking a tentative step forward. "Кендрик. Ваш брат.(Kendrick. Your brother.)"

There was a pause as she digested that information.

"…Кендрик? Что вы?(Kendrick? Is that you?)" Natasha replied. "Что вы здесь делаете?(What are you doing here?)"

"Ну вы знаете, просто бродил вокруг.(Oh you know, just wandering around.)" I shrugged. "Заводить друзей, теряя друзей, убивая плохих парней. До сих пор борьба Zalgo.(Making friends, loosing friends, killing bad guys. Still fighting Zalgo.)"

"Стойкие мудак, не он?(Persistent asshole, isn't he?)" Natasha laughed.

"Вы понятия не имею.(You have no idea.)" I agreed, smiling.

Natasha was about to say something else, but a look of confusion spread across her face. It quickly turned to anger, and she reared back to sock me across the jaw.

"Ебать что больно.(Fuck, that hurt.)" She mumbled, rubbing her now sore fist.

"Почему ты ударил меня?(Why did you hit me?)" I asked, wondering what I had done wrong.

"Почему я ударил вас? Мой брат давно потеряли появляется из ниоткуда, а затем делает небольшой разговор как ничего не произошло!(Why did I hit you? My long lost brother shows up out of nowhere, and then makes small talk like nothing happened!)" Natasha exclaimed. "Нашего воссоединения должен был быть это эмоциональное событие, не работает друг в друга в Starbucks.(Our reunion was supposed to be this emotional event, not running into each other at Starbucks.)"

**Ну Кен был всегда ебешь вверх.(Well, Ken was always a fuck up.)**

For a moment, Natasha was caught off guard by my sudden change in tone.

"Фантастический, ты до сих пор плавание вокруг там.(Fantastic, you're still swimming around in there.)" She sighed, realizing who had spoken.

**Где вы думаете, что я бы пойти? Это мое тело, мы просто делимся. В настоящее время.(Where did you think I'd go? It's my body, we're just sharing. For now.)**

"Не дают ему удовлетворение.(Don't give him the satisfaction.)" I interrupted, stopping Natasha from replying.

"Kendrick, what's happening here?" Nami asked, tired of being excluded from the conversation. "You know this person?"

"Да, is my sister." I answered. "The one I…told you about."

Surprising Nami and me, my sister burst out laughing. It took her a minute to recover, but she now had a stupid grin on her face.

"Your english is terrible!" Natasha mocked. "Who taught you?"

"Nobody." I answered, making her snicker some more. "I was using Babel Fish before."

Natasha gripped herself tightly, one step away from falling to the ground.

"No, I'm not doing this." Natasha gasped, barely keeping herself together. "You're getting a translator, and we're catching up. Follow me."

"Wait!" Nami exclaimed. "Sorry, but we need his help. Usopp, the idiot, has gotten himself-"

"Stuck in barrel?" I interrupted, pointing towards our sniper.

Somehow, he had managed to become trapped in a barrel and was wandering blindly through the streets.

"Usopp, you moron!" Nami screamed, chasing after him. "Stay away from those stairs!"

"Где вы меня принимаете?(Where are you taking me?)" I asked, following Natasha.

"В время, дома.(In time, home.)" She answered.

* * *

As we reached the Marine base, I realized that this probably wasn't a good idea.

*No, following your long lost sister into the heart of the people who want to capture you and your friends? What could possibly go wrong with that?*

_"Not helping."_

*Fuck you, dick ass dick-butt*

"Как делать эти дни Doc?(How is Doc doing these days?)" I asked as we entered the building.

"Он делает хорошо.(He's doing good.)" Natasha answered. "Скучает по тебе. Мы все делаем.(Misses you. We all do.)"

"Я удивлен, есть кто-нибудь еще, чтобы пропустить меня.(I'm surprised there's anyone else to miss me.)" I remarked. "Это было так давно, я был уверен, что вы бы забыли обо мне.(It's been so long, I was sure you'd all have forgotten about me.)"

"Он будет принимать гораздо больше, чем просто два года забыть о вас.(It's going to take a lot longer than just two years to forget about you.)" Natasha replied, grabbing my arm to guide me when I stopped. "Ну, это прямо здесь.(Come on, it's right here.)"

Allowing myself to be dragged along, my thoughts were consumed by what she had said. "two years". A relatively small amount of time, especially when compared to how long it had been for me. I soon found myself in what must have been her room, watching as she searched around for something.

"Я только что его, куда он подевался?(I just had it, where did it go?)" She mumbled. "Doc будет никогда не позвольте мне услышать в конце его, если я потерял его... здесь!(Doc will never let me hear the end of it if I lost his…here!)"

Turning around, she was holding what looked like some kind of tea plate. It seemed like it was supposed to fit around someone's mouth.

"Попробуйте это на, она должна работать.(Try it on, it should be working.)" Natasha told me.

Pulling off my mask, I felt my spirits lift when she didn't flinch away. A strap held the devise to my head, which completely covered my mouth. Small pads extended down to my throat, attaching with some kind of adhesive, and up to my temple.

"What does it…do?" I asked.

In English.

It wasn't my voice, but it was better than nothing. Having a robotic twinge to it, I sounded a bit like I was talking through a radio.

"Neat little devise, isn't it?" Natasha grinned. "Doc made it, and is working on something to translate audio back home."

"It's fantastic." I agreed, reaching down to hug her. "Thank you!"

As quickly as I hugged her, I let go. Remembering how adverse she was to contact with me, I immediately went to apologize. Before I could, however, she hugged me back. I was too surprised to move.

"Это хорошо, чтобы видеть вас снова, маленький брат.(It's good to see you again, little brother.)" Natasha said.

That was the final straw.

Hugging her as tightly as I could, without hurting her, I started crying into her shoulder.

"Still a cry-baby I see." She mocked playfully, clearly trying not to tear up.

"Shut up." I replied, laughing a bit. "We have to talk."

"No, really?" She responded sarcastically.

"Aren't children supposed to respect their elders?" I smirked.

"Did you cry your brains out or something?" Natasha said. "I'm the older sister, remember?"

"…About that…"

* * *

"I'm eighty years old."

"…You dragged me all the way to this ship to say that?" Natasha deadpanned.

I had brought her to the Going Merry. Taking my usual place at the mast, the sword was propped up next to me and Natasha was sitting across from me.

"I offered to carry you." I reminded her, purposely missing the point.

"THATS NOT THE…" Natasha started, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "What the hell are you even talking about?"

"It's been at least 65 years since I left." I explained. "Likely longer."

"No, it's been two." Natasha argued.

"For you, maybe." I conceded. "But it's been far longer for me. I'm an old man now, or would be if I could age."

"What, are you immortal or something?" Natasha laughed, stopping at the sad look I gave her. "Oh…shit."

"Yeah." I agreed. "Things have been…interesting, since I left."

"Anything else I should know?" Natasha asked. "Can you breath fire, and leap over buildings in a single bound?"

"…"

"…Oh fuck you."

"Why don't I start from the beginning…"

* * *

At some point, she decided to lay on me as I told her about my adventures. Her back pressed against my chest, I had my arms wrapped around her stomach.

"After cleaning the mast, we soon came upon this island and decided to port." I finished. "That's were I found the sword, which led you to me."

"Thanks sword." Natasha smirked. "Sounds like you've been busy."

"You could say that." I replied.

We grew quiet, not quite sure what to say now.

"I'm sorry." Natasha eventually said. "I've been a terrible sister. You've had to deal with all this bullshit, and I've done nothing to help you. To keep you safe."

"You are a great sister." I argued. "You've tried to stay with me through all this, something my fiancee couldn't do, and have done everything you can. I'm the one who keeps breaking my promise. I'm the one who should apologize, not just to you, for everything."

Another pause.

"If you getting married had worked out, what would you have done?" Natasha asked.

"…I don't know." I answered. "I usually don't think that far ahead. I'm so focused on not losing my chance, I don't plan for the future."

I stopped to collect my thoughts.

"I think…I'm going to stop trying." I told Natasha. "I'm too old for this."

"You're only as old as you feel." She replied. "Besides, you still look young."

"Do I? What about me indicates any sort of age?"

"You're not all wrinkled."

"I'm forever scarred to the point that every movement causes me pain."

"Scars aren't wrinkles."

"…Touché."

"…Does it really hurt that much?"

"I've gotten used to it. I'm lucky Zalgo didn't fuck with my cells any more than this, or I could of ended up a giant tumor."

"That's a fantastic image to have in my head."

"Sorry."

It was then that I noticed dark clouds starting to gather above the town.

"Looks like it's going to rain." I pointed out. "We should head inside."

Natasha gave a lazy groan, which quickly changed to a startled yelp when I picked her up. Carrying her to the kitchen, I sat her down in a chair and then sat in my own seat. Pulling out my mask, I took off the translator and started on fitting them together.

"What are you doing?" Natasha asked.

"Поставить переводчик в маске, поэтому я могу носить их обоих.(Putting the translator in the mask, so I can wear them both.)" I answered.

"Why?" She asked in turn. "Why don't you stop wearing the mask?"

It took me a moment to think of an acceptable answer.

"Я чувствую себя безопасно, носить маску.(I feel safe, wearing a mask.)" I answered. "Это как я голый иначе. Воздействию.(It's like I'm naked otherwise. Exposed.)"

"Кендрик, you need to stop this." Natasha said, grabbing my face. "Look at me."

Looking up, I was surprised to see the determination in my sister's eyes.

"Stop with the self-deprecation, you're better than this." She told me. "You are a good person, what will it take to convince you?"

"Стереть годы ошибок.(Erase years of mistakes.)" I replied. "Я стараюсь, но я знаю, что я не хороший человек. В конце концов конце концов, я просто как-(I try, but I know I'm not a good person. In the end, I'll end up just like-)"

Natasha suddenly pushed me to the ground, getting up to stand over me.

"Shut up!" She ordered, pointing at me with a glair. "If you think you're the only one who's made mistakes, then you really are an idiot."

Moving to get up, I swore when Natasha kicked my arm out from under me.

"No! You sit there and listen to your sister!" She scolded. "Everyone makes mistakes, even me, and that's simply how things turn out sometimes. You're no different, and listening to your stories has only convinced me of the good that's in you! You've spent the last sixty years doing everything you could to destroy the one responsible for all of this bullshit, and life kept shitting all over you. But you persevered, never giving up, and have gotten closer than any one before you. So whenever you start feeling sad for yourself, or like you aren't doing enough, then you better cut that shit out, and remember that your sister believes in you. That Doc believes in you. That your friends believe in you! You're a gods-damned hero, and you're going to kick Zalgo's ass up and down the Omniverse! SO STOP ACTING LIKE SUCH A BRAT!"

The resulting silence was filled with the sounds of rain and thunder. I was too surprised to think of anything quickly, and even Zane was quiet. Natasha stood there, waiting for me to say something. My thoughts drifted back to what happened at Nami's house, and how similar the things she said there were to now.

"Ты прав. Я делал это для так долго, я стал старый и горький.(You're right. I've been doing this for so long, I've become old and bitter.)" I agreed. "Возможно изменить отношение находится в порядке.(Perhaps a change in attitude is in order.)"

Natasha smiled, reaching down to help me up.

"That's more like it." Natasha said, patting me on the back. "You're already starting to sound like your old self again."

*What's happening, I spaced for a moment there.*

_"How? You live inside my head."_ I asked.

*I dunno, I was thinking about Batman or something.*

_"Natasha and I just had a moment."_

*Gay.*

_"Fuck you."_

*Self-cest.*

_"…"_

It was then that Nami burst into the kitchen, flinging water everywhere.

"Kendrick, we need to get sailing!" She exclaimed, noticing Natasha. "What is she doing here?!"

"Later!" I responded, rushing past her to the deck.

It took me a moment to realize it probably wasn't a great idea, but I was surprised to find that I was unharmed in the rain.

*Absolutely not consistency.*

Thankful for said inconstancy, I scaled the mast to let down the sail. Usopp soon appeared, followed some time later by Sanji. Nami persisted with getting away from the island as quickly as possible, even if we left Zoro and Luffy. As it turned out, we didn't need to worry. Causing me to jump in surprise, the pair suddenly crashed into the deck even though we were quite a distance from the island.

The rain didn't let up, drenching everyone to the bone. Luffy didn't appear to be affected, which seemed strange to me. While everyone was running around, I snuck back to the kitchen and finished my work on the mask, putting it back on. Sanji brought a barrel from storage, explaining that it was for an old tradition. Everyone put their foot on the barrel, exclaiming their dream as they did so.

"To become a great warrior of the sea!" Usopp said, finishing it off.

Or so I thought. It took me a moment to realize that everyone was looking at me.

"What?" I asked, wondering what they were staring for.

"What are you waiting for?" Luffy asked, grinning. "What's your dream?"

I was surprised at the question, and it's implications. I really had to think of an answer; what was my dream? Visions of being surrounded by family and friends filled my mind. Everyone I cared for, happy and living their lives to the fullest. But there was a darkness hanging over it. A constant threat that I had to take care of before I could find peace.

Walking up to the barrel, I put my foot next to the others.

"To defeat Zalgo, and find peace." I said.

Raising our legs, we slammed down on the barrel and shattered it. Everyone cheered, and I could see Natasha watching us from the kitchen, a smile on her face.

_"Peace sounds nice."_ I decided. _"Watch out Zalgo, I'm coming for you."_


End file.
